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Elderly parents
Original poster

Discharge without care package

43 replies

whiteroseredrose · 27/10/2022 21:04

For background FIL has been in hospital in Bristol with a broken hip for 5 weeks. DH brought MIL back to our house in Manchester with him as she has early dementia and couldn't cope alone.

We are selling their house and looking for somewhere near us.

Anyway DH got a phone call from the Estate Agent today. She had been at PIL house today when there was a knock at the door.

There was an ambulance there with FIL. They put him in a chair, in his pyjamas with no frame or walking stick so no help to walk to bed or to the toilet in an empty house. No food in. No care package. Nothing. Just dumped him there.

Fortunately the Estate Agent called DH who has spent the afternoon on the phone.

My question is, who do we complain to about this? It was impossible to speak to anyone on the ward and Drs ignored us.

At the moment I'm so angry I want to go to their MP and local papers.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Battlecat98 · 27/10/2022 21:13

The only person you can speak to right now is the ward, they will know why your dad was discharged like this. Very poor practice, I assume they know mil has dementia so no help available. I know we are struggling (NHS nurse). Failing this, you might need to return him to A&E for readmission (failed discharge) and await a care package. If you plan not to send him back phone tomorrow and ask to be put through to the discharge co ordinator,they can sign post you. PALS are also helpful

Ducksurprise · 27/10/2022 21:14

Shit. I was about to post that you must refuse to accept his return without a care package and then I read that. Just awful, did the estate agent accept him in?

I would contact PALS and I would contact your MP, the local paper if you are happy to be in it and accept any negatives that can be raised by going public.

I'm sorry this has happened.

OldEnoughToHaveReadBunty · 27/10/2022 21:17

OMG no. How on earth did this happen? Where was the OT assessment? This checks his living arrangements, whether he can manage alone, whether there is adequate support at home etc.

I worked on an elderly care ward for many years. I can't understand how on earth this happened.

Hedgehog90 · 27/10/2022 21:18

Has he got any cognitive problems? Has he got capacity? Did he consent to discharge?

Hafannedd123 · 27/10/2022 21:23

I would contact your local authority safeguarding team and complete and adult at risk referal in relation to the unsafe discharge. They should be able to allocate a social worker to look at putting in place a package of care etc. awful x

Breakingpoint1961 · 27/10/2022 21:23

I'd bloody well take him back to the ward!

Oblomov22 · 27/10/2022 21:24

Disgraceful. Many similar threads on mn in the last couple of years.

Shiningstarr · 27/10/2022 21:26

What the hell? He should have had an OT assessment at the very minimum. Disgraceful. Definitely take him back to A&E as this is a failed discharge. Unfortunately there's probably another patient in his hospital bed already, but that's not your problem x

Didiplanthis · 27/10/2022 21:29

Is he safe now ? If not he may need to go back in as a failed unsafe discharge. Its possible Social services may have an emergency respite bed they can access but they are literally gold dust and unlikely to be accessibly without a healthcare emergency referral and it may be miles away.

Original poster
whiteroseredrose · 27/10/2022 21:30

Thanks everyone. FIL largely has capacity but he knew everyone was up here. I doubt he'd have consented. They had been assessing him for low mood.

DH was passed on to the Red Cross (?) and Age Concern and someone rushed over. A Zimmer frame was sent by taxi. The Red Cross lady bought milk and cooked for him. And a carer is now due in the morning.

The thing is, the Bristol Royal Infirmary did something similar to MIL (88) a few weeks ago. She was in a ward for a few days after collapsing. FIL was on his way to visit her when she arrived home. They had just discharged her, knowing she had early dementia, and she wandered off and got in a taxi. Fortunately she remembered where they used to hide a key. Or she would have been sitting outside alone.

OP posts:
Original poster
whiteroseredrose · 27/10/2022 21:32

I will try the safeguarding team. The ward was impossible.

The thing is, it looks like a pattern not a one off.

OP posts:
40andfit · 27/10/2022 21:35

PALS
There will also be a hospital complaints procedure.
You can also ring adult safe guarding at your council

alrightfella · 27/10/2022 21:35

Phone adult social care first thing.

Hedgehog90 · 27/10/2022 21:37

Before you go to the safeguarding team you need to find out whether or not he consented to discharge. ‘I doubt he’d have consented’ isn’t definitive and someone with capacity, consenting to discharge is a very different situation to a vulnerable adult being turfed off the ward.

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 27/10/2022 21:40

Has he got an adequate care package for the coming weeks in place now? If not phone social services in the morning to put in a safeguarding referral. Can one of you drive down to him tonight?

keep trying to call the discharge hub at the hospital to ask the wtf.

get the full story from him - what did they say to him in hospital?

check the formal complaint process for the hospital and put in a formal complaint. If you have the energy do the same to social services, and to the patient transport provider.

PinkPupZ · 27/10/2022 21:47

Sounds like he has gone home with something like Age UK 'back home' service. Sort of like a POC and any equipment etc.

Original poster
whiteroseredrose · 27/10/2022 21:47

Thanks everyone. We will speak to FIL when we go tomorrow. He can't hear the phone unfortunately.

OP posts:
Sunsetmom · 27/10/2022 22:07

Each local authority has different services/ providers on discharge… it may be that the Red Cross/ age uk provide short term support on discharge and if needed adult social care will get involved for any long term support needs.
in regards to complaints it’s PALS at the hospital…
if FIL has capacity he may well have agreed to come home and may have declined any support when he was spoken to at the hospital…

MandyMotherOfBrian · 27/10/2022 22:14

^At the moment I'm so angry I want to go to their MP and local papers*

Good grief, given your update re MILs discharge, yes, do this asap. They are discharging people in to dangerous situations. Irregardless of how difficult circumstances are in the NHS right now, this isn’t acceptable.

gogohmm · 27/10/2022 22:28

If he has capacity there's a possibility he knew he was being discharged and told them he had care in place, we've had a his at work many times. The hospital do not have to check with family if they have capacity. Perhaps this shows he actually does need power of attorney given to you? The hospital has queues of ambulances due to people waiting for beds, they can't check with seemingly competent patients if they are telling the truth.

Quveas · 27/10/2022 22:40

OldEnoughToHaveReadBunty · 27/10/2022 21:17

OMG no. How on earth did this happen? Where was the OT assessment? This checks his living arrangements, whether he can manage alone, whether there is adequate support at home etc.

I worked on an elderly care ward for many years. I can't understand how on earth this happened.

Long time pre-pandemic (2018) and I was discharged from surgery to home (single person) without any assement when I was supposed to have a care package (not allowed to stand for 10 weeks). Didn't happen, dumped at home, and had to fight for the package. It happens a lot.

Breakingpoint1961 · 28/10/2022 06:31

@whiteroseredrose has he had a hip replacement? You must ensure he is managing the protocols associated with the surgery, check the heights of his chair/bed/toilet, hips must be higher than the knees in sitting, no crossing legs, bending down etc, and he should've had exercises to help post surgery, if he is able.

I hope care is in place now, it is much more difficult to initiate post discharge.

Original poster
whiteroseredrose · 28/10/2022 07:06

Hi @Breakingpoint1961. I'm not sure if he's had a hip replacement or what. He broke his hip after a fall. DH has struggled to get the doctors to speak to him so we're not sure what they have done for him. I'd assume he needs similar care though.

OP posts:
Paq · 28/10/2022 07:12

Honestly I'd kick up a massive fuss on social media, with my MP and anyone else I could think of in the hope that the papers picked it up. That's shocking, absolutely shocking. Your poor in laws.

Breakingpoint1961 · 28/10/2022 07:41

@whiteroseredrose I'd speak to the ward, they can see what is written in his notes, do you have consent to speak on his behalf? If not, I'd get that asap.

If he's had a hip replacement he can be at high risk of dislocation if he is not aware of the protocols. You can Google them OP, I'm sure he'll be fine, but it's best to be aware.