"Exasperating and hard work."

What I liked

The comments above are entered on behalf of my 88year old mother. Although the treatment she received was fine, her discharge was handled appallingly. I received a phone call from her ward at 3.30 in the afternoon to say that she would be discharged that day and for me to make arrangements to re start her care package. this meant I had to make an 8 mile round trip to her flat to phone her care provider and therefore miss most of the afternoon visiting. On phoning her care provider I was told that it was the hospitals' responsibility to phone social services and for them to arrange for the care package to re-start, and that they needed a minimum of 24 hrs. notice.

Eventually it was arranged that my mother would be discharged the following afternoon and that I would be contacted the following afternoon when she was on her way home by ambulance.The following day , the hospital phoned me at 4pm to say I could collect her if I wanted to. I told them that I was on crutches so they eventually sent her home by ambulance. On unpacking her bag, I found that she had been sent home without any of her medication. There seems to be a lack of communication between the different departments in the hospital, as well with the patients and their families.

I also feel that my mother was sent home too early, as she was still quite confused and weak, it's as though they just wanted to empty the ward for the weekend.

What could be improved

Communication between the relevant departments, and between staff, patients and family.