I am just, only just, holding back from phoning my parents health centre and going absolutely tonto at them so I think i need a rant first to get some perspective as maybe I AM being unreasonable here. Will try to keep brief,.
My dad has several chronic illnesses and has had mobility problems for years but got around between a wheelchair and his own very slow shuffle on his feet for years.
Since Feb this has quickly declined and we had to get carers in as he was less able to get around the house. My mum although generally healthy had her arm amputated three years ago and is still adapting/recovering from this herself.
About 10 days ago my dad fell out of his wheelchair while my mum was out shopping and was on the floor in the kitchen (it’s an old farm house quite cold stone floor) for at least an hour.
My mum got help from the falls team and it just so happened the physio who has been helping once a week turned up at the same time. They discovered my dad was now unable to bear any weight at all on his legs and so cannot be moved from wheelchair to stairlift or wheelchair to bed for example. He said my dad was to be put in bed and kept there until he was able to get hold of a hoist system. My dad has been in bed since, lying very awkwardly unable to move or turn himself. He’s also doubly incontinent and has been for a long time.
My mum tried to phone GP for two days and could not get through, contstantly engaged. Physio thought maybe a UTI as dad also very weak and disorientated. About 3 weeks ago conversation with GP was a district niurse would come out to give my dad his Covid booster + flu. This has never happened.
So physio has been brilliant phoning to check mum said can’t get through to GP, so physio contacted GP himself and lo and behold GP phones mum yesterday.
Cue a conversation of “oh dear, that’s a shame, uh huh, i see, yes… well that;s just old age I’m afraid, no there’s nothing we can do about it… that’s just the march of time…” all this type of bollocks?????
My mum then said although he can’t move himself he’s having trouble sleeping and in the morning she finds him halfway out the bed with the covers all over the place - what about sleeping pills? GP response - oph yes no problem you can have sleeping pills i’’l get that sorted for you.,..
Is that not utterly mental?? This is a random GP who has never met my dad or my mum, is just taking my mum’s word for all this, has not seen my dad in the flesh to confirm his condirtion or state of mind, but is handing out sleeping pills to a third party to give to my dad?
However my in laws are NHS people mostly retired and all appalled are saying because he is bed bound he should be instantly prioritised for a district nurse assessment? Is this correct? I am so angry this GP has basically dismissed my mum, not been remotely concerned to even ask to speak to my dad never mind arrange to see him or send someone else out to see him, and lastly to just prescribe sleeping pills like candy???
This is not the first time we’ve spoken to the GPs at this practice to try and get help for my dad this year, it’s been different GPs but the same response every time. Also takes 2 weeks to get a phone appointment.
He’s been a patient at the practice for 40 years.
The person who has helped most is the physio who arranged a incontience nurse to see him and a dietician too - he’s 8 stone and lying bent up in bed like a stone statue and apparently there’s nothing that can be done????