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Unnecessary upset and embarrassment caused by Day Surgery

Posted By Yellow brick road

"Unnecessary upset and embarrassment caused by Day Surgery"

About: Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary / Gastroenterology

(as a relative),

My elderly aunt was called for an Colonoscopy procedure and was sent two sachets of Moviprep to take prior to procedure taking place. She is in her 80s and had to travel by car to the hospital, which is (if traffic moving well) approx. 30 mins plus from the hospital. On arrival at the hospital she needed to go to the toilet and was unable to reach one quick enough causing her to soil her clothes. The nurses cleaned her up and put her in her nightgown and dressing gown she had brought with her.

The procedure was carried out and when she was almost ready to go home she felt the urgent need to go again and her bowels emptied on the spot causing her great upset and embarrassment, for the second time that day. The nursing staff cleaned her up again and she was sent home in hospital pyjamas and hospital dressing gown, very upset and distressed.

A couple of days prior to the procedure being done, I had called the hospital and raised my concerns over her ability to be able to get from her home to the hospital after taking the Moviprep. However, because I did not know her date of birth off hand, I was advised she or my uncle would have to phone and speak to someone. My uncle called and raise his concern also and he had been advised that people take Moviprep and travel much further for the procedure than her, and that was the way it was.

I feel they let her down.

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Responses

Response from NHS Dumfries and Galloway 10 years ago
NHS Dumfries and Galloway

Submitted on 14/04/2014 at 16:36
Published on Care Opinion at 17:00

Dear Yellow brick road

I am most dreadfully sorry to learn of your Aunts’ distressing day surgery visit. This must have been very stressful and traumatic for her and is the kind of experience we would seek to avoid, if at all possible. I will forward a copy of your Aunts’ story to the team at the Day Surgery Unit so that we can discuss and explore ways to minimise the potential for situations like this happening to patients in the future.

In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this experience with me further please do not hesitate to contact me on 01387 244295.

With my sincerest apologies and best wishes

Yvonne

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Response from Hilary Butterworth, IPIQ Officer, Patient Services, NHS Dumfries and Galloway 9 years ago
We have made a change
Hilary Butterworth
IPIQ Officer, Patient Services,
NHS Dumfries and Galloway

Patient and Public Involvement Officer and Person Centred Health and Care

Submitted on 20/06/2014 at 11:06
Published on Care Opinion at 11:06

Dear Yellow brick road

I have shared your story with all of the Patient Access team and the Day Surgery Staff and we are all extremely apologetic and disappointed to hear of your aunts distressing experience. The Patient Access team. the Day Surgery staff and I met as a matter of priority to discuss how this happened and began work immediately to ensure it does not happen again in the future.

Moviprep is essential to ensure the examination of the bowel is successful. However we recognise administration of preparations like Moviprep can be difficult to cope with for people who are older, frail or have reduced mobility. In these circumstances we arrange for individuals to be admitted to hospital the night before the procedure. In this instance, however, our process failed to identify your aunt and her need for additional support.

Your aunt’s story led us to review and revise our guidelines for identifying those vulnerable patients who may need to come into hospital the day before the procedure. We will also raise it with the clinicians who refer patients for this procedure. In addition the DSU nurses in conjunction with the Patient Information Coordinator are in the process of updating our patient information and instruction leaflets for Moviprep. The new materials are clearer and easier to understand and include the contact details of the patient access team, so that patients and their families can contact them directly if they are concerned about an individual’s ability to cope with bowel preparation.

The Day Surgery and Patient Access team are continually striving to ensure we offer high quality care to all of our patient’s and we would like to thank you for bringing your aunts experience to our attention.

kind regards

Hilary

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