"My mum's care with a broken arm"

In late Sept my mother was brought by ambulance in to A and E with a broken arm. An hour later she was x-rayed, during this time she was sick and I was left to manage with her no nurse available or doctor. She complained to me she was wet and had to wait half an hour and eventually a nurse came to change her nightie and sheets. No one was helping or advising me what was to happen. At 3:30 pm a nurse came to give her a drip and pain relief.

I was not told anything during all this time.

At around 4:00 pm I was told they were taking her to a ward for investigation as to her arm.

Admitted to Fairfax ward seen by a consultant who told us that she had a broken arm and that it would need surgery.

The following day mum was moved to Nicholas ward. Seen by a consultant however mum was heavily drugged and frightened and confused wanting to come home.

She refused to have the operation and the consultant decided to sling the arm to immobilise it for three months. This was done. In the earlier days mum was not moved around or offered a commode despite her fluid retention and treatment to reduce the fluid and on two more occasions she was left wet and became extremely upset by this and felt a nuisance.

After appealing to the consultant, mum's operation was done on the Saturday. She was taken onto Malin ward. She seemed to improve and was in good spirits and her wound healing nicely. She was having physio to move her around and eating okay.

Stayed for a few days and was again moved back to Nicholas ward. She received physio and occasional movement.

On the next Saturday afternoon mum told my cousin she was very wet, and a nurse was informed, and the nurse eventually came and was very curt to my cousin and her rude reply in front of mum, quote I have only just changed her.

This upset mum and she told my cousin not to make a fuss as they would be awkward with her afterwards. I visited after the incident and informed the duty doctor of what had happened.

On the Sunday I received a tel call that mum had fallen trying to get herself out of the chair, an x-ray was taken and she had chipped a bone on her hip.

On the Monday mum seemed to be doing okay having some physio and commode being used, and I asked for to take her home asap.

On the Tuesday I was informed told she had an infection, then that evening received a telephone call that she hadn't got an infection and she would be moved that night to Dugdale ward.

I was visiting mum on the Wed afternoon. There seemed to be very few staff, I asked a nurse could mum have the commode and was told I will come as soon as I can as she was helping other patients to eat. Mum had by that time already wet and dirtied herself. Mum became extremely upset and after fifteen minutes a nurse came to clean her up. Again mum was not offered a commode and no movement or help to get around during that time frame, despite fluid was building up on mums lungs and legs.

Mum was moved into a side ward on Thursday. I was again told she could not come home, even though I felt she would have been happier at home and she wanted desperately to be home.

Friday I informed a nurse that her arm operation wound was leaking badly and told they would see to it later. During that evening I stayed to help mum with her meal. No meal arrived as the food trolley was missing 4 meals and I was led to believe this happened quite regularly. So mum would have to wait until someone could go and get her one. I decided to go to the cafe and purchase a meal for mum.

On the Monday mum died of sepsis and heart and lung problems.