My father was treated with a lack of respect - he is 87 and in very early stage dementia. He was put on a ward with 3 other men who were in advanced stage dementia and didn't speak or in some cases eat or swallow. The nurses and doctors treated him as though he was in the same stage dementia as the others on the ward. They never told him what was going on even wtih regard to changes in his drugs particularly his warfurin. They commented that he was constantly asking about his warfurin, but if they had simply explained that he would be given his warfurin in the evenign (he had been recieving it int he morning previously it would have been fine). I mentioned on first admittance that he was on lactulose and then mentioned this again on the first evenign I went to visit. My brother phoned at around mid-day and mentioned it again and was told that it had been prescribed. That evenign I went in and went through Dad's drug charg with thim (the warfurin worry) and noticed that although lactulose was on the chart it had not been given to him. WHen questioned teh ward staff said that it had noly been prescribed so late that day that they couldnt' give it to him before the final drugs round of the day. I had told a number of people (everyone I spoke to) that I wasn't around for the weekend, but nonetheless he was discharged from hospital on a Saturday morning with no care package in place, no proper OH or physio arranged despite him having fallen and being extremley weak. Not even a pint of milk or a loaf of bread sorted for him. A number of drugs had been added to his care package with no explanation to him or to us. He had an appointment made for monday afternoon with no information as to how he was to get there (he is 87 and unable to walk far). As it was he fell again around 8 hours after being discharged and after approx a 5 hour wait was readmitted to hospital. He had to crawl on his elbows ot ring for emergency services, so is pretty bruised and actaully bumped his head as he fell. They however had not picked up on admitance of subsequently that one of his pupils was dilated. I noticed this 2 days after his admittance and they agreed to run a brain scan.
"Bad communication and co-ordination"
About: Princess Royal University Hospital (Orpington) Princess Royal University Hospital (Orpington) Orpington BR6 8ND
Posted via nhs.uk
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