"Grateful thanks to Barnsley's rapid response team"

My mother has recently finished a 5 week course of radiotherapy at Weston Park Hospital. Five days after finishing her treatment she became very tired and lethargic, something that we were told would happen. But I never thought this would hit my mum so hard, so quickly. On the following Monday morning after going to bed normally I was unable to raise her. She was so sleepy and so unresponsive.

I managed after great difficulty to get her downstairs on her stair lift into the living room and into her recliner. I rang our GP who made a home visit that afternoon. Mum was so unresponsive, he said he would get me help to get mum to bed at night and up in the mornings.

Later that afternoon we were visited by two sisters from the Rapid Response Team who assessed mum and put a care package into place for us. We got two support workers evening and morning to help me get mum up to bed and out again in the day. We also had an assessment visit by the team Physio and OT. They assessed mum and got us equipment to help with mum's immediate care.

This situation of near unresponsivness continued for the next two and a half days. Mum gradually began to come round and has gradually improved throughout the weekend to the point that I can now care for her myself with minimal effort.

Without the rapid intervention of the team I would not have been able to cope on my own caring for mum as I am an only child and the whole burden of care is entirely mine. I am so grateful to the rapid response team for their intervention and the care that all the team delivered. This is a great service and a very valuable one. I very much appreciate the efforts they gave us both. I wish them all the very best for the future and from mum and myself grateful thanks.