Rana's story about the need for good health information

One night, I was taken to hospital. When I was discharged, I had a urinary catheter in place. This was not properly explained to me, and I was not involved in discussions or decisions about it. I was left feeling confused and unsure about what was happening with my body.

When I returned home, my support team had not been given any clear information about how to manage the catheter or how to support me safely. This made things even more stressful, as I needed to understand what was happening

Luckily, I have a very supportive team around me. Elizabeth the Training Manager took the time to sit with me, show me pictures, and look up information online so I could better understand what a catheter is and why I needed it. This helped me feel more comfortable and less anxious.

My Team also arranged for a community nurse to come and support us. The nurse provided helpful resources and explained things clearly. Elizabeth went through this information with me step by step, making sure I understood and felt more confident about the care I was receiving from staff.

This experience showed me how important it is for me to be included in decisions about my health and to be given clear information in a way I understand.

Just because I have a disability doesn’t mean I shouldn’t know about my health. I have the right to understand what is happening to my body and to be involved in my care.

As I am non-verbal Elizabeth Bass sat with me and helped me write this story.