"Recent experience of Huddersfield and..."

My Mother Mary Eileen Robinson dob 23/02/23 was admitted to Huddersfield during the early hours of 2 June 17 following a fall, she had fractured neck of femur.

She died in Calderdale Royal on 23 September 17.

The medical care which she received in both hospitals was excellent. She was treated kindly and with dignity by medical professionals and care staff who respected that she did have mental capacity despite challenges with hearing.

I would like to draw your attention to two concerns which did impact on her health and well-being.

My mother had coeliac disease, diagnosed within the Trust and managed by the doctor at Calderdale. Despite this being noted on the information board above her bed and a red allergy wrist band, on a number of occasions in both hospitals she was given food containing gluten and was unwell. A number of staff had limited/inaccurate knowledge of the condition and on one occasion she was refused milk for her tea as ‘it contains gluten’!

I supported both hospitals by bringing in suitable foods as the menu for coeliacs is limited.

Given the number of diagnosed coeliacs is increasing in society I suggest that there is a training need for care and catering staff.

My second concern is about Community Place and transition to this unit. On 29 June my mum and me met with a Social Worker to discuss discharge to home during w/c 10 July. On 30 June my mum told me she had been chatting to ‘an ambulance driver’. I spoke to the nurse in charge of her ward and eventually discovered that she had met with a senior staff member from Community Place to discuss transfer, clearly my Mum did not understand. I spoke to Community Place the next morning but Mum was moved without my knowledge within hours of my conversation. When I got to Community Place around an hour after her transfer she was sitting beside her bed, coat on nursing her bag, no attempt had been made to help her settle in. Due to the increasing independence agenda here she struggled with accessing gluten free foods, the environment does not acknowledge the risks of cross contamination.

Her final admission to Cakderdale resulted in her spending 6 week’s in Ward 5B.

The staff here were compassionate and respectful, they helped to make her final days peaceful. They were very kind to me as I stayed by her bedside for 5 days and nights. I am very grateful for all they did to help at this very difficult time.