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This article was published on March 4th, 2015
Hospital care isn’t just about what medical treatment you receive within their four walls; hospital staff have a duty of care to ensure you get home safely and make sure you have a care plan organised in the form of nurse visits or support from friends of family to ensure you are safe and to help you recuperate. This is particularly important when dealing with vulnerable individuals like the elderly who need to be closely monitored. A NHS Hospital is now being investigated after claims an 83-year-old woman was taken home and left alone without any community nurses to check on her safety and wellbeing or contacting family.
Hours after she was discharged from hospital, she suffered a fall as a result of her walking frame (hospital provided) being too big for her bathroom doorway and in an attempt to go to the bathroom, she fell and had to crawl to a chair. She was in so much pain that she could not get into her bed and stayed sat in the chair all night.
The patient, who has osteoporosis and spine problems, was driven home by a medical transport team following a hip operation. According to her family, they were not informed of her discharge and so we unaware that she was home alone.
The patient said: “I managed to move on my bottom into the lounge, but I couldn’t get into bed because my leg wouldn’t let me, so I had to sit in my chair all night. I wept because I felt so alone and so frustrated.
“I felt helpless. You shouldn’t have to feel like that.
“I got nothing at all from the hospital to tell me how to go on, no back up at all.”
A neighbour said: “She was sat in that chair all night long.
“They left a pile of medication, but because of her sight she could not see what she should be taking and never took anything.”
The concerned neighbour contacted the hospitals helpline Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Pals) the next day. The Hospitals Trust said: “We are really sorry to hear of Mrs Ward’s and her family’s concern.
“We have been in contact with the family and will be looking very carefully at the concerns raised.”
Our NHS Hospitals do a great job most of the time but every now and again a patient received unacceptable medical care. If you think you may be one of the few who have been let down by your health service then you need to contact our specialist medical negligence solicitors to see if you are eligible for a compensation claim.
We pride ourselves in client care, taking the proceedings at a pace you feel comfortable with and making sure you feel that you have someone on your side. Give us a call on freephone 0800 1979 345 and get free NHS negligence legal advice.
Thorneycroft Solicitors have acted on behalf of many clients across Macclesfield, Cheshire and Manchester. No matter how minor or major your NHS negligence claim, our goal is to offer a service that delivers results. If you believe you have suffered an injury due to NHS medical negligence then you could be entitled to a substantial compensation pay out.
Our solicitors offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your claim.
