AIBU to very angry with GP and nurse

[Sunnyday1203]

So dad has dementia and has a memory span for about 10 mins. He recently had a fall and his GP did a home visit and prescribed Pain killers, he was bed bound and lived on his own. He was left with a pack of pills and took 18 Paracetamol l in 12 hours, so ambulance called he refused to go to hospital. (carer found him) His GP knows him well, just can't believe he could be so thoughtless. Fast forward dad now in hospital and turns out he has a fractured Coccyx, he has been in 2 weeks and about to be discharged to a home, I was checking through is bag and found a box of different pills and did not recognise them, so did a bit of research and very very strong meds, on closer inspection these meds are not my dads. If he had taken then thinking they were his he would have died. Nurse said sorry when I questioned here, but really AIBU thinking they are trying to bump him off. I am appalled and worried that this can happen

I think you have grounds for a complaint which will be logged on the internal risk register but probably not a serious complaint. The nurse on the ward will be treated as a near miss but I'm a bit confused as to what happened. The patient won't have missed meds as all their meds are on a timed prescription chart so it would have been picked up very quickly. They won't just not have given them because the box wasn't there. If these were a d/c supply then it's very unusual for them to just be sitting about, especially if they are "strong" as you say as they tend to be locked away until needed. Sounds like a genuine slip up. But yes,raise it with charge nurse and they will do a risk assessment.

To be honest I'm still not entirely sure what the GP did wrong. Unless he/she physically left a box of paracetamol within reach of your dad (seems unlikely as pp has said) then the failings really lie with the care package he has in place. He took the paracetamol over a fairly long period of time. Surely a patient with dementia who has a ten minute memory, limited capacity and needed a home visit by a GP due to a fall wasn't left unsupervised/unassisted for that length of time? As other have said, who was there for the GP visit? Who gives your dad his meds? How was he able to have access to them for so long? Was the paracetamol delivered by a pharmacy?

Why don’t you move in to look after your Dad if you can’t get him into a home and he isn’t safe on his own? Or pay for a private home for him rather than wait on the government? I’m not sure I could leave my father home on his own if he had dementia...

Query what a silly thing to say. I have a family of my own to look after and a full time job. Sadly I do not have 800 a week to pay for his care privately, what world do you live in.

Sunnyday - I live in a World and a family where you do absolutely everything in your power to take care of your elderly parents, no matter what.

Query Are you saying that the OP is supposed to quit her job, go on benefits and leave her family behind so that she can take care of her Dad full time in the years to come? It doesn't make any sense at all. I live in a world where such specialised care is delegated to people who are qualified to do it and I come from a family that wouldn't expect or even want me to make such sacrifices.

User exactly. I did answer the questions about GP btw but again the carer called GP and meds delivered by pharmacy, think my nephew who is autistic collected meds. And yes my dad was left bedridden from morning to night with pills by his side. THIS is why I want him in a home as that is where he will get the care he needs. I have meeting after meeting with SW's and care team and the plan has not worked. Even now they are consulting him about what he wants to do FFS. He thinks it ok to smoke and drink not eat and walk around with 600 in his pocket and tell people. This will end in tears unless I am really strong.

Sunny I absolutely understand you. Apart from everything else (your family, job, etc), caring for a person with dementia cannot be done by one person. Even if you did give up everything, you would still need to sleep and it means that for several hours each day your Dad would be left unattended and at risk of causing harm to himself and others.

It's ridiculous they treat your Dad as if his dementia had no impact on him at all. I would start a formal complaints procedure as he is being let down by the system. I would ask SW (in writing) where they draw the line. What will it take for them to take you seriously? Surely, there must be some guidelines and your Dad's accidental overdose is a huge red flag? How are they sure he won't accidentally set the house on fire (esp since he smokes)? Or wander off and get lost? So many things could go wrong and I truly feel for you. Stay strong!

Think a place has been found for Dad in a lovely care home, Manager going to visit him this pm so fingers crossed she agrees to take him.

Query I just saw your other silly comment. You must be very lucky not to have to work for a living. Most of us do and have responsibilities we must honour. I am doing everything in power to make sure my dad is safe and cared for. The time has come where he needs specialist care.

Sunnyday - that's great re the care home. There are some lovely ones out there. Fingers crossed for you.