"Unsafe ambulance discharge."

My 92 year old father was discharge from ward 111 ARI today. During conversations with the nursing staff my sister notified them that on discharge my Dad, who is bed bound, would require a two man ambulance with a CMax chair as he has several steps to the threshold of his house. The staff were also fully aware that my Dad requires to be hoisted in to bed and that the arrival of the ambulance would need to be co- ordinated with carers being at the house to do this.

My Dad arrived home in a Red Cross ambulance with what I can only describe as a flimsy, garden chair type chair for transfer to the house. We informed the ambulance staff that this was inappropriate for transferring my Dad. The carers were in attendance and said it would be unsafe for them to transfer my Dad from this chair.

I called the ward to ask why my Dad had been discharged without proper, safe equipment organised. The nurse said they were unaware that my Dad required a C Max chair despite conversations during the week notify them of this. Apparently this had never been documented??The nurse advised that my Dad would have to be returned to the hospital! I told her that under no circumstance would a 92 year old be trailed back to hospital and asked that an appropriate chair be sent to the house. This was refused. 

The cares had other commitments, so had to leave and attend to other clients.

Another ambulance appeared,(organised by the first ambulance) with a different chair, but not the required CMax. Neither of these ambulances had been informed that this type of chair would be required!

4 very kind ambulance drivers, seeing the stress this was causing to my Dad and myself and my sister, between them managed to get my Dad in to the house and in to his bed. 

I find this situation completely unacceptable! To treat anyone like this, let alone a 92 year, is an absolute disgrace. Everyone is so keen to discharge patients but surely this must be done in a safe and efficient manner. What if my Dad lived alone and all this was going on? What exactly was going to happen if my Dad had been taken back to the hospital? Sitting waiting on appropriate transport for hours on end or maybe having to stay another night?. I cannot begin to tell you how stressful this was for my Dad and us as a family to have to deal with. Something has gone very wrong here.

 I may add that this is not the first time this has happened to my Dad so I would hope that this will now be well documented in his case notes!

 

Staff skills