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"My dad was left alone and unable to speak"

About: Scottish Ambulance Service / Emergency Ambulance University Hospital Wishaw / Emergency Department University Hospital Wishaw / Stroke Unit (Ward 11)

(as a relative),

My dad’s GP phoned for an ambulance to admit him recently. After waiting 16 hours (which the ambulance service kept us updated every hour and was appreciated) my dad was taken by ambulance at 8 am. I was told it could take a while but as I had to take my daughter to work they said if their ambulance was not outside I had to let them know at reception I was there.

My dad was very weak and disoriented so when I got to the reception , a student nurse came to me and said yes my dad was there, but no visitors allowed. I wasn’t visiting, I and my sister are his carers because of his recent condition. I explained he couldn’t communicate, so it would be better if I was there to advise the staff what was wrong with him. I was again told I couldn’t be with him, I had to give my mobile number and wait in my car.

4 hours later I went back in, only to be told he had been moved to ward 11 and that they had tried to phone his wife and got no answer. My mum passed away 16 months ago, however, how would your staff know as I wasn’t given the chance to be there as his carer.

I am absolutely disgusted by the way my poor dad was left alone and unable to speak and tell the staff anything. Thankfully, he was treated with love, care and respect in ward 11.

We managed to change his contact details and told them my mum was no longer with us. My dad passed away suddenly but peacefully. I am still so upset as he was frightened to come into hospital and I promised him I would be there, but your staff stopped this when he was admitted. 

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Responses

Response from Alan Martin, Clinical Development Manager, National Operations, Scottish Ambulance Service 12 months ago
Alan Martin
Clinical Development Manager, National Operations,
Scottish Ambulance Service
Submitted on 08/07/2024 at 15:42
Published on Care Opinion at 15:42


picture of Alan Martin

Dear Cmd46,

I am so sorry to read your story. Please accept my sincerest condolences for the sad loss of both your parents. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult a time this is for you, your sister and of course the remainder of your family. Please know that my thoughts are with you all.

In respect to the part around the Ambulance Service involvement, whilst I appreciate your comments around the staff within the Ambulance Control Centre keeping you updated, I am saddened to read that your poor father had to wait such a time for one of our resources to transport him to the hospital. I would welcome the opportunity to review this and just make sure that we did all that we could to get one of our Ambulances to him.

In order to do this, I would just need some more details, specifically the time, date and location that we picked your dad up from and his name. If you wish for this to happen you can send these details to sas.feedback@nhs.scot and we will review it. If you do this, may I also politely ask that you include your CareOpinion username for the team to be able to link your email to this story as it likely wont be me that picks the email up.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

Kind Regards

Alan

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Response from Faith McCrea, Service Manager, Emergency & Medical Services, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire 12 months ago
Faith McCrea
Service Manager, Emergency & Medical Services, University Hospital Wishaw,
NHS Lanarkshire
Submitted on 08/07/2024 at 16:33
Published on Care Opinion at 16:33


Dear Cmd46

Thank you for sharing your experience of our Emergency Department at University Hospital Wishaw on this care opinion platform. Firstly, please can I express my sincere condolences to you and your family with the loss of both your mum and dad.

I am so sorry to read the details of how you were unable to support your dad while he was in the Emergency Department and at such a worrying time for you all and I would like to apologise for this. I would like to reassure you that we take all feedback seriously and we will use your feedback to help improve the service we provide to our patients.

If you wish to discuss this further it would be helpful if you could contact our Patient Affairs department for us to further review and respond to you personally. You can contact them by email: PatientAffairs.Wishaw@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or by phone: 01698 366 558.

Our thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time

regards

Faith

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