"Conerns about care on ward 9 St Ledger"

My elderly mother in-law, who suffers with dementia, was admitted whilst my partner and I were on holiday following a fall at home, in which she sustained a fracture to her back.

Initially we were satisfied with her care on ward 9. However that soon changed. During visiting an elderly confused lady in the adjacent bed was constantly trying to get up. As a nurse myself I was obviously concerned for this lady's safety, I asked her several times not to stand up. There were no visible members of staff in sight. Eventually a nurse came and the lady wanted to be put to bed, the nurse declined.

At this stage we were happy with the care my mother in law had received. My mother-in-law required a brace fitting to her back to wear when mobilising, also as a family we felt my mother in-law could benefit from some carers starting

The nurses I met on the ward were very unhelpful. My mother in-law actually soiled herself after waiting thirty minutes for assistance to use the bathroom. My mother in-law was then shouted at by the nurses for not waiting for assistance.

We were also informed there had been an outbreak of MRSA on the ward due to a patient using communal bathing facilities because the isolation room did not have any. My mother in law was swabbed for MRSA on admission but not swabbed on discharge therefore she could have been contaminated.

Yesterday my sister in-law who has a brain injury was contacted by an OT/Physio. My sister in-law asked several times for her to speak more slowly to enable understanding or to discuss issues when my brother in-law was around, as due to her cognitive problems my sister in-law struggles to understand certain situations. But the therapist declined.

My sister in-law was informed my mother in-law would be discharged today at 14:30; however my mother in-law arrived home at 13:30. It is lucky that my sister in-law was at her house earlier because my mother in-law had no keys. My mother in-law was awaiting a package of carer to assist her with meals, personal cares and medication. However DRI discharged my mother in-law without this package of care in place.

DRI nurses suggested that my sister in law and brother in law cared for my mother in law at home until the carers could start. This is impossible as they are both registered disabled. My partner and I work long hours and live a forty minute drive away.

My mother in-law is struggling to mobilise and has been incontinent twice since discharge. I feel as a member of the profession this is totally unacceptable. I have tonight written a letter of complaint to the director of nursing.