"My experience of care provided for my elderly..."

My parents have been registered wit his medical centre for the last 30 years and there has never been any reason to complain about the service. They have been very happy with their doctor.

Last year my mother lost her two sisters and a nephew within three months of each other. This obviously had an impact on her and her health deteriorated quite quickly. Under duress , as she doesn't like to bother the doctors I would insist she made appointments to get help with the terrible cough she had developed . She was also wheezing and finding it difficult to catch her breath. This was distressing for all the family.

The family were also surprised to see that she was not getting appointments with her regular doctor. She found it difficult to talk to the new doctor.. It was this doctor who on two occasions allowed her to leave the surgery with no medical input even though she was physically uncomfortable with her situation. He then referred her for a CT scan. Whilst waiting for the referral to come through she again went back to the surgery as she was so unwell. She then saw the doctor she had known as her GP who gave her antibiotics. He told her that she had a CT scan booked for the following day. She knew nothing about this as she had not received a letter to inform her of the appointment.

Following the CT scan she returned to the surgery , the doctor who had referred her for the scan did not explain the results to her but handed her a document and told her to go home and read it. It explained the symptoms and diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

She is 84 Years old and did not understand the implications of this information. She was also told she would be going for a biopsy and she needed to wait for a letter from the hospital.

She was not given any medication once again. Following this visit , she returned numerous times to the surgery, sometimes given anti biopics depending on which doctor she was seen by. We made a few calls to the 111 service and had visits with doctors on call.

She was then seen by another doctor at the surgery who ordered a flutter for her. She was given no guidance on how to use this.. I spoke to the doctor who informed me she did not have IPF as described in the document provided by the previous doctor. She had bronchiastasis. He also said she was not waiting for a biopsy she was waiting to see a respiratory nurse.

Meanwhile my mothers health was deteriorating. She looked really unwell and was finding it more and more difficult to breath. Last Wednesday evening she was eventually admitted to hospital as she could not breathe. Thank goodness as finally she was assessed and given treatment to help her. The doctors at the hospital diagnosed her with inflammatory bronchialitas. She is now on steroids and has been given guidance on breathing exercises. The last conversation I had with the surgery informed me she was receiving good care and needed to wait for her appointment for the respiratory nurse.