Page 2 | Ensuring safe discharge

Dibble135 · 2024-11-21T18:46:52+00:00

Mum in hospital for 2nd time in 2 months, this last time because she couldn’t eat and drink sufficiently at home where she lives alone despite me and dsis doing our best to support. Hospital called tonight with no notice to say come to pick her up. I’ve refused as no care package put in place. She cannot walk independently or wash and dress. Now told tomorrow OT and physio will take her home to do assessment and arrange package based on need. My question is this. Is this essentially just a way to get her discharged and she will be left there no matter what? Does anyone have any experience please?

Original poster

Dibble135 · 21/11/2024 19:35

TizerorFizz · 21/11/2024 19:20

@Dibble135 I had this 3 times with my DM. It’s a total shocker and my LA (Buckinghamshire) never did an assessment at all. Ever. I just had to take her home and we had to cope. It’s atrocious when you are old. I’ve heard exactly the same has happened to others. I arranged private carers as nothing forthcoming from LA at all.

This worked well as Dm did improve. Eventually DM at 99 had a back condition (never did get told what?) and could not move . After 6.5 weeks in hospital I got the discharge call but they had assessed she could not go home. Assessment seemed to be done by OT. So get hold of OT.

I then got the social worker phoning up. Said DM could go home with 4 visits from carers a day. I could not believe what I was hearing. These people are just useless. Eventually I managed to get across that the hospital said no to going home and that DM would pay for a care home. She never asked about DM’s finances! In an hour of telling me she had assessed DM as suitable for going home.

To cut a long story short - get a care home sorted. 4 visits a day will mean she’s confined to bed. So is the bed suitable? You won’t get nursing help so there will be more and more problems. Can DM pay? If not talk to discharge and get them to contact LA.

Just one other thing - I barely spoke to a nurse or doctor in 7 weeks. They didn’t answer the phone - ever. So even going into the ward produced nothing. They didn’t even write the name of a Dr above mums bed. However the care home was amazing! Just so pleased we found it. DM had her 100 th birthday there. The hospital and help we received was atrocious..

I’m so sorry this happened to you. It is shocking. DM is deaf so cannot understand what doctors are saying. Just nods along. I’ve trained her to call me when they come and give them phone but it doesn’t always work.

OP posts:

TizerorFizz · 21/11/2024 19:33

@Dibble135 They will offer 4 visits a day because they won’t pay for a care home. Can your DM pay? There has to be a better end to life than this by the way.

TizerorFizz · 21/11/2024 19:20

@Dibble135 I had this 3 times with my DM. It’s a total shocker and my LA (Buckinghamshire) never did an assessment at all. Ever. I just had to take her home and we had to cope. It’s atrocious when you are old. I’ve heard exactly the same has happened to others. I arranged private carers as nothing forthcoming from LA at all.

This worked well as Dm did improve. Eventually DM at 99 had a back condition (never did get told what?) and could not move . After 6.5 weeks in hospital I got the discharge call but they had assessed she could not go home. Assessment seemed to be done by OT. So get hold of OT.

I then got the social worker phoning up. Said DM could go home with 4 visits from carers a day. I could not believe what I was hearing. These people are just useless. Eventually I managed to get across that the hospital said no to going home and that DM would pay for a care home. She never asked about DM’s finances! In an hour of telling me she had assessed DM as suitable for going home.

To cut a long story short - get a care home sorted. 4 visits a day will mean she’s confined to bed. So is the bed suitable? You won’t get nursing help so there will be more and more problems. Can DM pay? If not talk to discharge and get them to contact LA.

Just one other thing - I barely spoke to a nurse or doctor in 7 weeks. They didn’t answer the phone - ever. So even going into the ward produced nothing. They didn’t even write the name of a Dr above mums bed. However the care home was amazing! Just so pleased we found it. DM had her 100 th birthday there. The hospital and help we received was atrocious..

Original poster

Dibble135 · 21/11/2024 19:10

Lifeglowup · 21/11/2024 19:02

I agree with this. Get them to note in your Mum’s hospital notes that you believe it’s an unsafe discharge and show you were they’ve writren them.

My Mum was given an unable discharge. She fell and broke her hip within 6 hours of being home and then died after 6 weeks in hospital.

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I’m so sorry to hear that. My mum fell the day she was readmitted hence my worries.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dibble135 · 21/11/2024 19:08

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 21/11/2024 18:58

Ring the ward and speak to the most senior person in charge and say the words unsafe discharge over and over. If she hurts herself after discharge you will make a complaint, stuff like that.
Go in at 9 and ask to speak to the discharge coordinator and say unsafe discharge over and over again.
I think you need to put forward some ideas though- what do you want to happen?
Carers 4x a day would probably be forthcoming but don’t sound sufficient.
Nursing/ care home sounds ideal- can she afford to self fund this? If not say they need to fund this for 6 weeks as an interim continuing healthcare measure to allow means testing etc.
My experience is a little different but from arguing (discussion) with discharge coordinators you need to be extremely polite, extremely articulate and extremely assertive.
Do not let them tell you to do all the care- keep saying you are unable to facilitate that. Your role is to advocate for your mum, but not necessarily to carry out the care yourself.

Thank you. It was the words unsafe which I think stopped them sending her home tonight!

I cannot go in as I don’t live locally but can telephone as I have been doing.

Temporary care home sounds ideal. She was pretty independent up until her gallbladder burst which is what started this. She needs to get fit for surgery but no chance of that without a lot of help. I don’t know the costs. She owns her home and has about £10k in savings.

I can be very polite and articulate so no worries there!

OP posts:

Lifeglowup · 21/11/2024 19:02

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 21/11/2024 18:58

Ring the ward and speak to the most senior person in charge and say the words unsafe discharge over and over. If she hurts herself after discharge you will make a complaint, stuff like that.
Go in at 9 and ask to speak to the discharge coordinator and say unsafe discharge over and over again.
I think you need to put forward some ideas though- what do you want to happen?
Carers 4x a day would probably be forthcoming but don’t sound sufficient.
Nursing/ care home sounds ideal- can she afford to self fund this? If not say they need to fund this for 6 weeks as an interim continuing healthcare measure to allow means testing etc.
My experience is a little different but from arguing (discussion) with discharge coordinators you need to be extremely polite, extremely articulate and extremely assertive.
Do not let them tell you to do all the care- keep saying you are unable to facilitate that. Your role is to advocate for your mum, but not necessarily to carry out the care yourself.

I agree with this. Get them to note in your Mum’s hospital notes that you believe it’s an unsafe discharge and show you were they’ve writren them.

My Mum was given an unable discharge. She fell and broke her hip within 6 hours of being home and then died after 6 weeks in hospital.

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 21/11/2024 18:58

Ring the ward and speak to the most senior person in charge and say the words unsafe discharge over and over. If she hurts herself after discharge you will make a complaint, stuff like that.
Go in at 9 and ask to speak to the discharge coordinator and say unsafe discharge over and over again.
I think you need to put forward some ideas though- what do you want to happen?
Carers 4x a day would probably be forthcoming but don’t sound sufficient.
Nursing/ care home sounds ideal- can she afford to self fund this? If not say they need to fund this for 6 weeks as an interim continuing healthcare measure to allow means testing etc.
My experience is a little different but from arguing (discussion) with discharge coordinators you need to be extremely polite, extremely articulate and extremely assertive.
Do not let them tell you to do all the care- keep saying you are unable to facilitate that. Your role is to advocate for your mum, but not necessarily to carry out the care yourself.