What's it like in the Bons atm?

s1ippy

I'm going in for minor surgery next week. I will be recovering for about a week in hospital after it. However I am very worried about picking up Covid19 when I'm there. I'm wondering what the place is like at the moment? Are they taking adequate precautions, does anyone know of spikes in cases? I'm watching the HPSC data and there are no obvious clusters showing up, but I would appreciate any information anyone has about protocols and procedures, so I know what I may need to watch out for. Maybe if you were in there recently you might have spotted something.

If I recall correctly, one of the first cases of Covid in the entire country was an elderly man who was on a trolley in the Bons... his case wasn't detected for over a week. I hope they are more prudent now than they were then.

Inherently mistrustful of the Bons as I had a medical procedure done by them years ago which went wrong and I have had to live with the ongoing consequences every day since. However I need this operation badly and finally got an appointment, so I'm left with no other choice to take the chance with them. Really unlucky timing for me but them's the breaks and if I don't die my quality of life could be improved. It's just lucky that I'm a gambling man.

Thanks for any help.

MissShihTzu

Well. I had a major operation at the Bons about 2 years ago. It was my first experience of private care here in Ireland. And I have to say, I wasn't impressed...

The room was clean enough but very dingy and shabby-looking. Food was awful. The first night, I was served with a meal that was so bad, I wouldn't feed it to my dog! My husband had to bring me fish and chips, and food every night until I was discharged. I did have my own room, so that was a bonus.

On the other hand? The nurses and cleaning ladies who stopped by my room to chat every day were absolutely lovely. Brilliant people, lousy surroundings. The operation went very well, and I was back at work in 10 weeks. But - for the money they charged, the Bons is very poor value for money.

My husband had a minor procedure done at the Mater. Much, much better, cleaner and nicer surroundings. Does your insurance/procedure allow you to go to the Mater?

chalkitdown1

s1ippy wrote: »

I'm going in for minor surgery next week. I will be recovering for about a week in hospital after it. However I am very worried about picking up Covid19 when I'm there. I'm wondering what the place is like at the moment? Are they taking adequate precautions, does anyone know of spikes in cases? I'm watching the HPSC data and there are no obvious clusters showing up, but I would appreciate any information anyone has about protocols and procedures, so I know what I may need to watch out for. Maybe if you were in there recently you might have spotted something.

If I recall correctly, one of the first cases of Covid in the entire country was an elderly man who was on a trolley in the Bons... his case wasn't detected for over a week. I hope they are more prudent now than they were then.

Inherently mistrustful of the Bons as I had a medical procedure done by them years ago which went wrong and I have had to live with the ongoing consequences every day since. However I need this operation badly and finally got an appointment, so I'm left with no other choice to take the chance with them. Really unlucky timing for me but them's the breaks and if I don't die my quality of life could be improved. It's just lucky that I'm a gambling man.

Thanks for any help.

My wife had a major op there 2 weeks ago. They made her take a Covid test the morning before admission day and she got the results back that night! (negative thankfully). I dropped her off the next morning (I wasn't allowed in, no visitors allowed, no exceptions) and she was there for 4 days and wasn't allowed out of her room the whole time. I don't know if it's protocol now to put every patient in their own room but she had her own room anyway. Everyone who came into the room (her doctor & the nurses only) were always wearing masks.

Mostly she was just really bored the whole time.

To be honest, a hospital is probably the safest place you could be right now if you're worried about catching Covid what with all the precautuions they take.

the beer revolu

chalkitdown1 wrote: »

To be honest, a hospital is probably the safest place you could be right now if you're worried about catching Covid what with all the precautuions they take.

This is what I was going to say.

Not the Bon's but my elderly mum was in the CUH for an operation and in the South Infirmary for recuperation and physio. She was in for a total of 6 weeks. During this time she was tested twice as she is prone to chest infections at the best of times. At this stage, hospitals know what they are doing.

OP, I think that early case may have been CUH, not the Bon's.

If you need this procedure and you have the slot, take it.

now online

If you could get your procedure done in the Mater private instead of the bons I would. There's no comparison. Best of luck

Private hospitals are a business. They have the worst doctors. Ask any doctor or medical professional and they will say the same. Go to a public hospital for the best treatment. The Bons is notorious for doing procedures on people that aren't even necessary, and has an awful reputation amongst medical professionals.

Kerry25x

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Private hospitals are a business. They have the worst doctors. Ask any doctor or medical professional and they will say the same. Go to a public hospital for the best treatment. The Bons is notorious for doing procedures on people that aren't even necessary, and has an awful reputation amongst medical professionals.

If OP is going in for a specific elective operation then I'm sure they're very well practiced to preform it. I do agree though, if I was acutely unwell then I would much rather be in a public hospital!

Kerry25x

Kerry25x wrote: »

If OP is going in for a specific elective operation then I'm sure they're very well practiced to preform it. I do agree though, if I was acutely unwell then I would much rather be in a public hospital!

Absolutely agreed on the elective operation.

Just generally, the Bons would have a reputation for keeping people in unnecessarily - lots of well off people go there for a 'rest'- and doing procedures on people that are not necessary. In fact, if you were bring cynical you would say it's an unwritten policy and very lucrative earner for them.

s1ippy

Thanks so much for the replies. Very, very afraid but there's nothing for it now. I can't get it done anywhere else. I'm hoping to be out before the weekend but if I'm not discharged I'll probably just leave. I know it's a dodgy thing to do but the longer I'm there the bigger the risk and I won't recover if I'm stressed to the gills. I am absolutely freaked. Ugh.

the beer revolu

s1ippy wrote: »

Thanks so much for the replies. Very, very afraid but there's nothing for it now. I can't get it done anywhere else. I'm hoping to be out before the weekend but if I'm not discharged I'll probably just leave. I know it's a dodgy thing to do but the longer I'm there the bigger the risk and I won't recover if I'm stressed to the gills. I am absolutely freaked. Ugh.

The negativity here towards the Bon's has been around their sharp practices regarding possibly unnecessary tests and unnecessary long stays, the quality of the food and the decor.
Apart from one, somewhat agenda led post, no one has questioned the medical care or the staff in The Bon's.

Really, don't worry. The staff in all hospitals are really up to speed now with regard to the virus. I genuinely believe that you are probably safer in any hospital in Ireland than you would be walking around the streets (which, for now, in Cork, is very, very low risk).

My late father had a lot of care in The Bon's - he was always very, very well looked after. While I agree with some of the criticisms around the Bon's, they are top class medical professionals.

Your risks with having a medical procedure now are no greater than at any time, imo.

Please don't worry and do what you can to reduce your stress levels.

I wish you well.

the beer revolu

the beer revolu wrote: »

The negativity here towards the Bon's has been around their sharp practices regarding possibly unnecessary tests and unnecessary long stays, the quality of the food and the decor.
Apart from one, somewhat agenda led, post, no one has questioned the medical care or the staff in The Bon's.

Really, don't worry. The staff in all hospitals are really up to speed now with regard to the virus. I genuinely believe that you are probably safer in any hospital in Ireland than you would be walking around the streets (which, for now, in Cork, is very, very low risk).

My late father had a lot of care in The Bon's - he was always very, very well looked after. While I agree with some of the criticisms around the Bon's, they are top class medical professionals.

Your risks with having a medical procedure now are no greater than at any time, imo.

Please don't worry and do what you can to reduce your stress levels.

I wish you well.

Zero agenda here, and I agree the OP has very little to worry about. However, I would suggest the quality of care is higher in public hospitals. The best doctors never end up in private hospitals, and certainly not in the Bons. Trust me.

the beer revolu

Deleted User wrote: »

. The best doctors never end up in private hospitals, and certainly not in the Bons. Trust me.

1.This is unsubstantiated rubbish, IMO and of what value to the op, exactly??

2. You certainly appear to have an agenda.

3. Why should anyone here trust you? You haven't laid out your credentials.

Outkast_IRE

My mother was in and out of the bons for years and got the best of care. Staff and doctors were generally quite good. The odd consultant was a prick but you can get that anywhere.

On the flipside my wife went for a consult in the Mater and the doctor was clueless, didnt actually listen at all and worse lost her scans which cost a few hundred euros and tried to claim she handed them back when she didnt. She posted them back a few months later when they turned up without a note or word of apology.

the beer revolu

the beer revolu wrote: »

1.This is unsubstantiated rubbish, IMO and of what value to the op, exactly??

2. You certainly appear to have an agenda.

3. Why should anyone here trust you? You haven't laid out your credentials.

I have no agenda. We'll leave it at that. And you are right that what I said is not helpful to the OP so apologies to them for that.

s1ippy

The reason I asked is that I have had very bad experiences with them in the past, though we're talking decades ago. I'm sure they've updated their practices.

At least today I discovered I don't have covid it's the first time I've been tested in spite of the fact that I'm in a job which sends me from house to house, to elderly people and those who have disabilities.

Nothing for it now but to get it done, and I'll let you know about my experience because it will hopefully put some minds at ease if other people need to go in for anything.

s1ippy

s1ippy wrote: »

The reason I asked is that I have had very bad experiences with them in the past, though we're talking decades ago. I'm sure they've updated their practices.

At least today I discovered I don't have covid it's the first time I've been tested in spite of the fact that I'm in a job which sends me from house to house, to elderly people and those who have disabilities.

Nothing for it now but to get it done, and I'll let you know about my experience because it will hopefully put some minds at ease if other people need to go in for anything.

Good luck!

Hangdogroad

All I know about the Bons is that a female relative of my other half who is virtually a real life Hyacinth Bouquet is always going on about it in a way that she thinks people are going to be impressed by the fact that she uses it.

the beer revolu

Hangdogroad wrote: »

All I know about the Bons is that a female relative of my other half who is virtually a real life Hyacinth Bouquet is always going on about it in a way that she thinks people are going to be impressed by the fact that she uses it.

That would hark back to a time when it was (I think) Cork's only private hospital. If you were in The Bon's, you had private health insurance and we're middle class at worst.

MissShihTzu

the beer revolu wrote: »

That would hark back to a time when it was (I think) Cork's only private hospital. If you were in The Bon's, you had private health insurance and we're middle class at worst.

Now? If you DON'T have insurance and you need an op? Good luck!!

s1ippy

All cool, out and everything since early morning. Much earlier than I expected. Mostly been unconscious since getting home. I hopefully I don't have covid.

I find it genuinely weird that they don't test when you leave.