"Mum's treatment"

I wish to make a complaint in relation to the way my mother was treated at the SWAH in June/early July

My mum is peg tube fed at night due to the deterioration of her MS, she is  resident in a nursing home.

In June there was a complication with her peg tube and she was admitted to the SWAH. There appears to have been no one available to refit her peg tube and therefore my mum was given no food/nourishment all weekend. (Just a drip put up).  We raised our concerns with staff who were unable to give us a reason for not treating my mother and seemingly allowing her to starve!!

After a few days I spoke with the staff in charge and requested her peg be fitted and supplement provided ASAP; they advised the gastro team had been emailed.

I further stated it was disgraceful that mum had had no food for four days. If this was purely down to no doctor available over the weekend then I find this totally unacceptable and a breach of her human rights in relation to adequate health care. I explained that I was minded to make a complaint and speak with the MLA and local newspaper.

To add insult to injury later that afternoon I noticed mum's airflow mattress was not working.  When I raised this with the nurse they appeared very flippant and just said it must have been unplugged! I explained mum was prone to bedsores which was dismissed and I was advised she wouldn't have a bed sore in such a short space of time .... neither of us were aware how long the bed had been unplugged for!?

Shortly after 2 nurses returned to check mum's skin!

It would appear some nurses joined as a vocation but I have no idea why other nurses are in a caring role when they don't seem to show much care to patients.

Mum was not comfortable whilst a patient in the SWAH, she was left alone in a room, feeling cold, no extra blankets, bed jacket not put on, window left open, left lying flat on the bed, no access to table with her reading material/glasses, remote for TV etc.

I trust you will look into the reasons for my mother not being fed as I would hate another incident like this to occur to ourselves or another family.

I look forward to hearing from you.