"Short stay in Acute Assessment Unit and then..."

I'd like to say that my mother had excellent care when she was recently admitted to the Acute Assessment Unit and Whitbread Ward.

The staff worked really hard and despite being under pressure took great care with my mother who is 84 years old

My mother desperately wanted to come home and was told that the consultant did not want her discharged until she had been seen by 'Plastics' a specialist service.

Other wise she was fit for discharge and hospital at home were ready to start visiting..

There was a problem getting 'Plastics' due to it being a weekend. I asked if we could see 'Plastics' as an outpatient and was told that the consultant had clearly said that she was not to be discharged until she had been seen by 'Plastics'.

Mum was disappointed but remained in hospital.

Then on Monday she was discharged.

I asked if 'Plastics' had seen her and she said that she did not know but a man had come.

The hospital has now provided an excellent service called Hospital at Home, and now we have highly skilled nurses coming to see her at home.

Unfortunately we now urgently have to take her back to hospital to see 'Plastics' as she was discharged without seeing this service.

In my view there probably was a pressure for a bed on Monday which is why they quickly discharged my mother which is a real shame as I am sure that the hard working hospital staff want to be providing a 'needs' led service and not a 'resource' led service.

Anyway mother recovered quickly and that was down to the excellent care she received and for that I thank you all very much for your continued hard work under such pressure.