"Poor communicatio"

My father was a patient on Benfleet Ward last December. There was a lack of communication between staff and myself.

I only found out by accident that he was going to be sent home with a care package without discussing with either my Mother or myself being aware. Fortunately I was able to stop this and arrange care myself which was more appropriate

I have brought my father for two outpatients recently both which have been a waste of time for a frail elderly man and no doubt could have been better used by someone else. The Doctor from the Dept of Medicine for the elderly was only interested in sin referring to social services and was not very factual in their letter to my fathers GP. The second appt in the Heart and Chest Clinic was not needed although the Dr and the staff were very pleasant

I would suggest a case management approach to frail people making sure that appointments are really necessary and coordinated rather than sending out loads of appointments. Like most people I need to work, my father cannot bring himself to hospital and needs someone with him they cannot attend alone.

A record with relevant information could be made avoiding the need to give the same information re the social details again and again