"Avoid this place at all cost!"

Anything else?

My mum was treated by Stepping Hill this week after a nasty fall. She was there for 4 days. This isn't her local hospital but it was the closest hospital at the time of her accident. I wasn't really sure if they were looking after her well, I live 2 hours away but I rang every day for an update and the nurses on the ward obliged, they were obviously busy so that was great they took time out to keep me informed. I also kept in contact with my mum but my mum didn't seem too happy with how things were progressing. she still complained of feeling ill. Last night I was told she was likely to be discharged today. My mum's comment when I told her was that she wanted to come to our local hospital to be treated because she didn't feel well enough to go home. My mum is made of tough stuff, usually when she is in hospital she can't wait to get out - I was a little concerned! So today my mum texted me - she's being discharged. I raised concerns with the hospital over whether she was ready to be discharged, I was assured she was well enough to go home but to be safe I arranged for her to come to my house. I then got a phone call from the hospital asking me to pick her up or else they'll charge me for a taxi. I explained I was 2 hours drive away and didn't think she was ready to go home! But I relented and my husband agreed to come get her. My husband got there, saw my mum waiting, saw a nurse, was told she could go and my husband brought her home. Meantime I get a phone call from the ward sister asking if I know if my husband has picked her up (of course I don't - I'm at work - husband is driving and can't answer the phone). We assume my husband has picked her up and I get told her medication and discharge letter are still at the hospital. We agree the letter can be posted and the hospital call my husband to try and intercept him or call my mum assuming he can't answer. I hear no more until I get home. Get home, mum looks well, but has no medication. I ring up the hospital, am told my husband should not have taken my mum without telling the nurses (even though he did)! After a lot of arguing, I try and reason with the nurse on the other end of the phone saying rather than playing the blame game lets decide how to get my mum's drugs to her for tonight because its my mum's health that I care about firstly. I'm told to come collect them - which means she's 4 hours away from taking her drugs. I then get told mum took a turn for the worse this afternoon and shouldn't have gone home - I ask if I should then take her to the local hospital then? I get told no, she should be at Stepping Hill. More arguing - and I get told to call my mum's GP (who are closed at this point) or 111 to get replacement meds and keep her at home. Long story short - they sent the drugs down to us by taxi in the end (well done). But before the drugs reached us, she complained she felt faint, was sick , her ear started discharging again - just left her in our local hospital. Shocking!