"Poor Patient Discharge"

I had a call from Ward D6 to say some patients had tested positive for Covid19, and my visit on 27/10/20 was cancelled and this "lockdown" could last for up to 2 weeks.

However, my wife was discharged on 29/10/20, from Ward D8 not D6. At 08:05 that morning my wife phoned me and I spoke to a nurse who said the hospital patient transport would bring her home that morning. I waited and rang D8 but no answer. I rang the operator and asked for the relevant department and was put through to the Discharge Lounge (Extn 6123). The woman answering the phone couldn't tell me if my wife was on their schedule and asked me to phone back in an hour as they were very busy and had computer problems.

Later I received a call from a nurse on D8 to ask if I could collect my wife as there had been a mistake, their fault, with her discharge and asked how quickly I could get there.

When I arrived at D8 my wife was quickly brought to me in wheelchair with her belongings in a bag, and her medication. The nurse who had phoned me apologised and a female porter helped me to the car.

I later realised that my wife had been discharged without the Zimmer frame she needed (she needed two) and nobody had taken a few minutes to explain her medication which included injections.

I chased-up the hospital and contacted ERS at Home. ERS delivered a spare Zimmer that afternoon, and a member of hospital Physio delivered a second on her way home that evening. Their prompt help and support saved my wife unnecessary difficulties.

Discharge from hospital should be a basic, routine process and not the proverbial rocket science. My wife's discharge was inefficient, uncoordinated and frustrating and lacking in care.

By the way, I rang Ward D6 later to understand why my wife had been discharged two days after I was told the ward had a significant Covid19 infection. The nurse on duty was unable to give a coherent answer. However, on reading her discharge notes they did indicate she had been tested a couple of days before. Worrying?