My grandmother fell out of her chair a week ago (Monday). She didn't hurt herself but her doctor advised I phone an ambulance because she was confused. She had been diagnosed with a urine infection a few days before and was suffering delerium (confusion, sleepiness and hallucinations). She also suffers from vascular dementia. She was taken to a&e and examined and kept in for observation. I told them that she gets very confused and tries to get up and about when she shouldn't (she was very unstable on her feet).
I got a call Tuesday morning letting me know that my nana would be discharged that day as her urine infection could be treated at home. I went to pick her up a few hours later and was told she had fallen again and broken her wrist in 2 places! They were keeping her in.
She was in a single room down the hall from the nurses station. The next day I went in they had her sitting up in a chair unsupervised. She wasn't supposed to be moving unaided but they had left the call button on the other side of the room with no way for get to get to it (so she couldn't ask for help to the toilet.) Again I told the nurses that she forgets she's not capable of getting up alone and will try to move about. When I was in visiting she was trying to get up and chase a mouse she was hallucinating!
Next day I came in she had been moved to a room beside the nurses station because they wanted to keep a closer eye on her. When I came back at night visiting I was told she had fallen again (I think she's pulled a muscle/bruised her ribs this time).
At this point she was given an auxillary to watch over her one on one and has had constant supervision.
My family is very angry about the fact that she was left in a room alone and was able to wander about (and fall twice) when we had warned the staff multiple times about her confusion/dementia and tendency to get up if not supervised.
My nana's going to need a lot of extra help when she gets out of hospital. She's very restricted with what she can do with her cast. Usually she's able to get around the house and do bits of house work (the confusion,etc isn't constant - just happens when she has infection. ) but I think she's going to find it difficult using her zimmer etc.
My mother's getting up in arms about suing the hospital for negligence. Is this possible? Was it negligent to leave her in a room alone with no supervision given the circumstance?
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.
Legal matters
Can I sue the hospital?
28 replies
Scarletspy · 24/10/2016 16:09
OP posts:
Newsletters you might like
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.