My elderly Dad fell and broke his already replaced hip in Sept 2023.
He was attended by a paramedic in a fast car and then it took 4 hrs for the ambulance to come and collect him to go to South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).
In the Emergency Department (ED) in SWAH he was kept on the corridor most of the time as due to be transferred to Altnagelvin. They were waiting for a bed for him for over 24hrs and he was in a lot of pain. He was put in a side room for a sleep but quickly moved out of there as someone else needed the room.
The overstretched staff in ED were doing their best for him, despite there supposedly being protected beds in Altnagelvin for SWAH emergency surgery patients none were available until later the next day. He was then placed in a transport ambulance in pain, no access to pain relief and no family member able to accompany him there. I though that was disgusting as my elderly Mum & myself had to say goodbye to him not sure how the journey would go. He was so frightened.Recommendation- Patients clearly in pain should be transported with full access to pain relief & with a family member to accompany him there.
Little did we know this was just the beginning of a very long journey and many long journeys to Altnagelvin & back.
He waited nearly a week for his Operation on the Trauma ward as the Trauma team needed to sort a plan which was understandable. There were daily journeys 2hr return journeys from South Fermanagh. The road infrastructure is not even 2nd world standards in some places and clearly this is due to years of neglect and underfunding for various reasons.
Recommendation- Patients need a dedicated team who look after them if they must go for treatment in Altnagelvin.
- Family members need access to affordable accommodation where they can stay over
My Dad had his op and that went Ok the staff were very kind and facilities excellent on the Trauma ward. They were very keen to get him into rehab and home. Perhaps too keen as my Dads hip procedure failed within 2 weeks of discharge. Everyone (Omagh Rehab, SWAH, Altnagelvin & Community team was passing the buck to each other- this was very poor care. If the procedure was completed in SWAH this could have been avoided.
Recommendation-A dedicated team is needed to follow the pathway of SWAH patients needed to receive treatment in other hospitals.
My father & the family were back to square one, in Altnagelvin, he had more surgery & despite his age and infirmary, time in ITU he recovered through his sheer determination, the kindness of staff & love of his family.
He got home just before Christmas and is now walking on one stick again.
Recommendation-Improve communication between teams as it can be very poor at times.
Recommendation- staff organising appointments need to factor in traveling time for the elderly to avoid long journeys.
I honestly believe that if emergency surgery was available in SWAH then his 1st procedure would not have failed & would have not needed to return to Altnagelvin.
"Availability of emergency surgery"
About: Altnagelvin Area Hospital / Trauma & Orthopaedics Altnagelvin Area Hospital Trauma & Orthopaedics Londonderry BT47 6SB Northern Ireland Ambulance Service / Emergency ambulance response Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Emergency ambulance response Belfast BT8 8SG South West Acute Hospital / Emergency Care and Medicine Services South West Acute Hospital Emergency Care and Medicine Services Enniskillen BT74 6DN
Posted by Olivia24 (as ),
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