Cumberland Infirmary fails Dementia sufferer

In October a 76-year-old grandmother with severe dementia was discharged from Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle wearing only a flimsy nightgown.

The elderly lady, who had been admitted following a fall at her home, was put in a taxi by hospital staff but the driver was given the wrong address and she was incapable of telling him where she lived.  The incident has highlighted concerns over standards of care for Dementia patients.

Several days after the harrowing incident her condition deteriorated and she had to be transferred to a nursing home. A spokeswoman for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust said it had apologised for the incident, which it was investigating.