"Discharge of patients"

Yet again the discharge procedure for patients is a big let down. My mother was recently admitted again due to an exacerbation of her COPD, quite poorly - Paramedics great during transport to hospital. Then it begins - long wait on corridor where you have extremely poorly patients mingling with 'well' patients and their families. I don't want my mother to be coughed and spluttered all over on the corridors thank you very much..

finally found a bed for her after 6 hours in A&E - not complaining about the staff with this as I am aware that the hospital is under great financial difficulties and staffing levels are not appropriate for patient turnaround.

It is so sad to see our NHS services becoming 3rd rate - but, a lot of patients need to take a step back and really consider if they should be there before attending? Maybe a poster in the waiting area reminding them that most GP practices in BwD have the use of spoke appointments if they cannot be seen by their GP - these patients should be made to ring their GP practice in front of the A&E staff to see what response the patient gets from the practice and, if the patient is 'fobbed off' (as I heard someone say) then the staff should intervene and ask why they wont see the patient. Some surgeries have a triage system - patients can use this.

My main complaint is the way patients are discharged - family are informed the patient is ready for discharge and yet again, we waited from 11.30am until 6.45pm for our mother to be discharged. This was so annoying as 2 family members took unpaid time off work to go up to collect her and her medications and discharge letter were not ready. They left asking the ward staff to ring me when she was ready with all her medications and letter - no telephone call so I went to collect her after 6pm - they told me they had asked my mother to ring me to let me know she was ready.

My mother is 81 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's and has no telephone - how could she possibly have rung me?

Need to get your act together at discharge and only contact family when everything is ready - it is unfair for patients and families to be sat in a chair all day waiting to be discharged - please have a little compassion and empathy for us all- it isn't too much to ask.

For me to be taking my mother out of the hospital at 6.45pm on a cold, rainy night when she has just had a serious chest infection and is very confused is totally unacceptable.