My 84 year old neighbour was admitted 6 weeks ago having suffered a mild heart attack, apart from this he was physically fit. On Wednesday 25 March he was sent home after being told he was 'medically fit'! When I went in to see him I got the shock of my life, he had lost 3 stone in weight, he could barely walk even with a frame, he had a terrible chesty cough (I suspected pneumonia), he had a large untreated pressure wound on his bottom and he had a catheter fitted, a night bag. He had carrier bags of drugs in boxes and was expected to sort these out himself. On Thursday 26 March I rang the District nurse because he wasn't passing urine, who asked if he had any leg bags, I said no, just the night bag he came home with. The nurse came and brought more supplies and dressed the pressure wound, and also commented that he should not be home! At 3.30am on Friday morning we had to call the ambulance as he was coughing so bad he could not breathe. He waited in A and E for 12 hours until a bed became available in MAUI, he has pneumonia!!! Yes just as we suspected. I do not know what the consultant was thinking when he declared him fit to discharge. Hopefully he is now getting the treatment he should have had the first time around and rest assured he will not be coming home until we think he is fit!! I will be contacting PALS not that anything gets done but at least they'll know how the family feel.
"Appalling care - cardiology"
About: Tameside General Hospital Tameside General Hospital Ashton-Under-Lyne OL6 9RW
Posted via nhs.uk
Do you have a similar story to tell?
Tell your story & make a difference ››
Responses
See more responses from Lindsay Stewart