Forum Topic

Bad show West Middlesex!  A midnight discharge of an 80 year old.

At around midnight West Middlesex deposited an 80 year old man with severe mobility difficulties (parkinsons) back at home, leaving him fully clothed on the bed.They insisted he come home without any prior arrangements and knowing that his first carer of the day had been cancelled because he was in the care of the West Midd for 'over night observation'.Yes, of course he was found on the floor when the next carer came in.  Lucky he wasn't readmitted this morning with a broken hip.Wonder how often overnight discharges of vulnerable people happen?

Sarah Felstead ● 4242d17 Comments

It's a sad fact that complaints procedures which have got bogged down are miraculously galvanised when the press get involved.

Susan Kelly ● 4226d

The complaints people at the hospital need to know first, although my previous conversations with them have not resolved much.It is totally exhausting organising and sorting through the ‘system’ to make sure that the patient is best looked after.There is an awful lot of faffing about and duplication of jobs/work/responsibility from some of the people who start the ‘at home’ care when somebody is discharged and paper work attached to hospital records which does not amount to much.  When it does work, it is excellent.The care plan is worked out for a safe discharge after a very lengthy meeting with a room full of professionals who could really be better placed in the canteen having a cup of tea.  I speak from experience and have witnesses.

Sarah Felstead ● 4226d

Have you taken this story to the press, Sarah? The local press, at least, should be very interested.

Susan Kelly ● 4227d

Turns out that when they 'dumped him off' they didn't even make sure his linkline cord was on him so when he ended up on the floor he couldn't indicate his distress.  I spoke to the carer who found him on the floor and he said he was pretty much of a mess when he went into his room at lunchtime - use your imagination.Shame.

Sarah Felstead ● 4227d

Item on BBC Breakfast n Saturday about how many millions this 're-organisation' of the NHS has cost. Although PCTs went these clinical commissioning groups are now more in number than the PCTs ever were. Also the many managers that were paid off at great expense and then have been re-employed on telephone number salaries, no wonder there's no money for patient care and front line staff.

Vanessa Smith ● 4233d

Sorry to hear that Mari and I hope your little girl is well on the mend.

Sarah Felstead ● 4234d

These are very sad stories indeed and don't reflect well on the West Mid. I hope that all concerned have recovered and are doing well.

David Giles ● 4236d

There has been a lot of fuss about the discharge of patients during the night before.  I didn't think it was allowed any more.  It is a quieter time for the ambulance service.  I wonder what time the transport was booked for as you can be waiting for it for many hours.Discharge requires co-ordination and co-ordination in health care is something that is often missing.  Teamwork is very important.

Philippa Bond ● 4236d

It's really odd, my husband always gets first class service from the West Middx. be it out or in-patient treatment. In fact it's become a family joke that they only have to know it's him coming and they arrange for a red carpet to be rolled out and a fanfare! Me and my youngest son have had appointments moved, re-arranged, re-arranged again and cancelled etc. etc. even been referred to the wrong clinic in one instance, and apart from the very excellent urgent care unit earlier this year, have found the admin. to be an absolute nightmare. We've decided in future we will give my husband's name to ensure we don't get messed around! But seriously - how can one hospital have such a varied performance? Hammersmith Hospital by comparison were amazing, and we all know how much pressure the NHS is under, I think this may be a case of cr*p management. At one time I even pursued my complaints through the Health Service Ombudsman - my advice? Don't bother - what a waste of space, the worst thing that was ever done was getting rid of the Community Health Councils, they had statutory rights to be consulted about the health service and were excellent representatives for patients, they had real teeth.Hope your little girl is O.K. soon.

Vanessa Smith ● 4240d

A paramedic was sent to my child, he examined her and then called for an ambulance to take her to hospital as an emergency. Whilst in the ambulance they also thoroughly examined her.  She was taken to West Middlesex hospital but then made to wait 2 + hours. The reason? apparently she had to go through triage !?!!  Now what exactly had the paramedics being doing?!!  I thought that what they did equalled triage!  I thought that they had been fantastic - had taken full medical history, had done thorough examination and delivered her as an emergency to West Middlesex. Hospital. (how on earth can they disregard  paramedic/ambulance accessed/ over walk in?!!).  Thank God the Doctors who specialised  in this condition were on call and as soon as they saw her, (albeit 2+hours later)refused to wait for the blood test results and admitted her immediately. She is still in the  Intensive Care unit - it beggars belief that she  waited so long for triage!  Feel so sorry for your friend/relative Sarah as I had 12 + years of dealing with the total incompetence of the local so called 'health care system' within the West Middlesex health authority.

Mari Austin ● 4240d

is not always as it should be and at this time of year it is often worse than usual Quiet honestly Kieth its anytime you have any extended holiday period.The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee bank holiday in 2012 saw all the relevant agency’s closed down completely, leaving no one on standby.Ward staff were scaled down to the barest minimum, some inpatients were transferred to nursing homes. The nursing staff and junior doctors were left to defend for themselves as their superiors and the back up services were off for the holiday, even the building maintenance department was off. To give another example of how bad the UK general health care is not fit for purpose, you only had to ring a telephone number given out at the end of a television program last night, if you were effected by the issues raised in the program. You would have found the organization that the number relates too, wont be open until early January.We live in very different times and many people require health services 24/7, the problem with the NHS and private health care still operate in the 1950's, where people do not get ill at weekends or public holidays       

Paul Allen ● 4242d

Patient found on the floor yesterday early evening - expected, because of the illness, if he gets tired or misses medicine. Ambulance called and they check him over.  Normally this does not lead to anything but it can occasionally show another health issue.  This time there was a concern which required monitoring in hospital care, overnight.Care plan shows nature of attention patient requires and details of carers employed each day.The night carer, who puts him to bed (making sure all personal things required are done and he is okay before they leave) arrives whilst ambulance crew are there so is able to give him his last medicine but not do anything else as he is off to hospital for the night. The need for the next morning’s  home carer is discussed and their visit is cancelled whilst the ambulance crew are present as patient will be in hospital care overnight and will have his first medicine of the day given there.  Medicine is taken with him.Hospital notes say over and over again to contact son to discuss any arrangements (about appointments discharge and suchlike). Around midnight the bell goes and patient is outside front door with hospital transport who are very insistent that patient is to be let in.  Transport brings him in and deposits him on top of his bed.No observation of care plan; no carer at that time of night; no way a carer could be arranged at that time of night.  The morning carer cannot be reinstated at such a short notice and the hospital had not arranged this either before sending him home.Patient was found by the second carer late morning on the floor and all his morning things had to be sorted out, cleaning, changing, sorting out the bed washing,  medicine, breakfast and fluids as he is unable to get up from the floor on his own. Medicine missed.Because of missing medicine (again all over his hospital notes as missed medicine has previously led to hospital admissions and is why he has carers 4 x a day).Tonight patient is slumped in a chair having great difficulty moving around.Missed medicine and consequential weakness often means another fall and another call to the ambulance people. …

Sarah Felstead ● 4242d

The hospital trust also and the hospital social work team.They are the only ones who can cancel in place care as far as I know. If his usual carer had been cancelled this would indicate that there were no in place plans to discharge him. The care agency may also have some responsibility as communication( they could have been told to re-instate) is not always as it should be and at this time of year it is often worse than usual. It would also be a good idea to involve any friends or family that he may have.

Keith Iddon ● 4242d

I wouldn't call it a 'bad show'. I'd call it bloody disgusting. Surely there must be a regulatory body to whom this can be reported.Worth starting with our MP?

Susan Kelly ● 4242d

There will also be a hospital social work team that should plan for such occasions but it looks like things were done in a hurry here.

Keith Iddon ● 4242d

This kind of sorry account just make me so angry how our so called health experts on occasions do not give a stuff about our senior population

Paul Fisher ● 4242d

That's appalling Sarah. The hospital, depending on how long an older person has been there, has a responsibility to ensure that appropriate care is in place if someone is discharged. But what were they thinking, to do this at midnight on a cold night?. If this man has carers unless they are there as a private arrangement will have had a care package assessed and organised by lbh social services so he will be known to them. They should have a duty team to which you can report this. He is also in dire need of a Linkline pendant alarm that he can use to call for help should he fall in future.

Keith Iddon ● 4242d