A hospital patient who was discharged from St Mary’s without a care plan was re-admitted just ten days later.
Diagnosed with pneumonia, 87-year-old Molly was sent home from the hospital on 6th December, but no support plan was in place.
Her daughter, Sue Chessell said:
“Since her return, we have had to take shifts looking after her as she’s incapable of doing anything for herself and can’t get to the bathroom without the support of another person.”
Ms Chessell said no follow up care was arranged, or risk assessment done.
Sent home with loaded syringes and oxygen tank
Molly was also sent home with fully-loaded syringes and written instructions on how to administer them. After her family queried this, a nurse was sent around daily to administer the medication.
She was sent home with an oxygen tank that she could not breathe without.
Ms Chessell found herself responsible for organising hand rails, and adapting the house. She also began the process of replacing the bath with a shower.
No way of eating
Unable to eat, Molly was reliant on Ensure drinks — a meal replacement protein shake — as her only source of nutrition. After she was sent home without any, Sue was told she would need to get a prescription for them from the GP.
Ms Chessell said:
“As it was a Thursday evening, I was concerned we wouldn’t get this in place in time on Friday, so had to ask for enough Ensure drinks to be provided to get through the weekend.
“I went myself with a nurse to raid their supplies and took 12 Ensure drinks home. Again, this wouldn’t have happened if her children hadn’t been there to make sure it did.”
Unsustainable care
Alongside her two siblings, they arranged shifts to care for her mother, with Ms Chessell having to take time off work.
Her brother and sister live on the mainland, and have been swapping shifts at Ryde Pier Head to make sure someone is able to always be with their mother.
She said:
“I am so tired, and so worried. This isn’t sustainable.”
Social media appeal
After putting out an appeal on Facebook, Islanders donated items to Sue, including a £1,000 blow up seat to help Molly get in and out of the bath from a kind-hearted stranger who had bought it for his late wife.
She said:
“Thanks to my Facebook appeal, I managed to find out how to arrange through the Crisis Team a care package, however, this was due to start nine days after mum was released from hospital.”
Rushed back to hospital
Nine days after being sent home, Molly was rushed back to hospital in a critical condition. Sue said the situation was ‘touch and go’, although she has since stabilised.
Sue said:
“During the admissions process, they asked lots of questions, and were shocked my mum had been discharged without any care plan in place.
“I do not want to criticise the NHS as a whole, because they have really served my mum well, the staff in the Emergency Department and on the Cardiac Care Unit are amazing, and the ambulance arrived within 15 minutes of me ringing 111.
“But elderly and possibly vulnerable people are being discharged from hospital without anything in place to support their recovery.”
Sue said she was grateful for the overwhelming support shown to the family after putting out an appeal online.
No comment
The Isle of Wight NHS declined to comment.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some additions by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Auntie P
