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Care Opinion

Dissatisfied with treatment

Posted By Brockle

"Dissatisfied with treatment"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Stroke Care University Hospital Ayr / Accident & Emergency University Hospital Ayr / General Medicine University Hospital Ayr / X-rays and Scans

(as a relative),

My mother in law fell with suspected stroke, taken to Crosshouse hospital had a checkup and discharged home alone with slurred speech and unsteady on her feet.

On the Thursday I went to check on her and ended up calling for an ambulance. I was told she would be taken back up to Crosshouse hospital and on arrival was told she had been taken to Ayr hospital instead.

An hour later (5pm) we were told she was to be transferred to Crosshouse hospital by ambulance. This finally happened after much questioning and a reluctant CAT scan at 1.45AM - almost 10 hours after arriving at the hospital!

She spent just 2 days on the stroke unit before being transferred again back to Ayr to a general ward and just left to fester and get on with a few minor exercises the physio gave her! 

Apparently they were waiting for a bed in station 16 the 'stroke ward' she only got the MRI scan after 2 weeks to be told she's definitely had a stroke! Why was she taken out of the stroke unit? ! Why was she discharged with no proper test on the first day she was presented to the hospital? ! Maybe she wouldn't be as badly affected if she had received the proper care and attention she rightly deserves! Just because she's old doesn't mean she can be ignored!

We are very dissatisfied and disgusted with her treatment!

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Responses

Response from John Swiatczak-Steele, Assistant Director, University Hospital Ayr, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 6 years ago
John Swiatczak-Steele
Assistant Director, University Hospital Ayr,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 05/03/2018 at 15:59
Published on Care Opinion at 16:00

Dear Brockle,

I am extremely sorry to learn of your mums experience within Ayr and Crosshouse hospitals. It has clearly been a very worrying time for all of you and it appears that we have added to your distress, at a time that you really didn’t need it. At this time I can only apologise for what seems to be a chaotic approach to your mums journey with us. It would be useful to have your mums name so that I can investigate all of your concerns fully and provide a fuller explanation. In the meantime I would like to reassure you that age is not a barrier to receiving care within our hospitals and we pride ourselves in delivering a high quality service for all patients.

It is fair to say that capacity across our stroke services has recently reached a critical point and this has resulted in patients being nursed in general wards on both hospital sites. Clearly, this is not the quality service we wish to provide. I would like to assure you that our clinical and management teams are working together to address this so that patients receive their care in the appropriate ward setting.

If you would like to call my PA, Tracy, on 01292 617126 (ext 17126), I will look into this.

John Swiatczak-Steele

(Assistant Director of Acute Services, UHA)

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Response from Christine Somerville, Senior Charge Nurse, Ward 3E/F - Acute Stroke Unit, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 6 years ago
Christine Somerville
Senior Charge Nurse, Ward 3E/F - Acute Stroke Unit,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 05/03/2018 at 17:07
Published on Care Opinion at 17:13

Dear Brockle,

I would like to add how sorry I am sorry for the experience both you and your mum have faced. This sounds like a very stressful time. Patients are normally transferred to the ASU in Ward 3E UHC for a minimal of 72 hours following stroke before being transferred to their local hospital.

As a service we strive for patients to get the best possible care. Your mum’s journey sounds as though it could have and should have been much better. I appreciate you taking the time to feedback on your experience and this will allow us to look at your mum’s pathway. Can I encourage you to contact John Swiatczak-Steele’s PA with your mum’s details so we can look in to this for you.


Thank you for your feedback as this is important to us.

Christine

Senior Charge Nurse, Stroke Unit, University Hospital Crosshouse

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