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"Mum felt so isolated"

About: Royal Victoria Hospital / Accident & Emergency

(as a relative),

I am writing this because my mother who is in her 80's is unable to do so. 

I was away on a break to celebrate a special birthday to come home to find that my elderly Mum had been taken to hospital very unwell.  She normally is treated in the Ulster hospital but was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital even though she and others who were present had informed the paramedics of this.  This was hard enough for her to be taken to a place that she was not familiar to her, but she was also not treated very well. 

She was totally on her own with no one with her, this was hard for her especially being a vulnerable adult.  I am aware how busy the A&E is with the amount of patients being admitted.  This is not my issue, it was how she treated when there.  She was not given anything to drink or eat all day and when the time came to give the patients drinks, mum was offered but to be told that she was last in and the person had to start at the front of the line, Mum didn't mind and respected that but by the time they had made it to my mum she had to go to the toilet and missed out on a drink. 

A doctor came to mum who she hadn't met before and she was asked if she had her house key because they were going to send home an elderly vulnerable adult at 3 am in the morning.  This is not good enough.  The second time she was in which was a few days later, again being taken to the Royal Victoria.  Again, she was not given anything to eat or drink.  In the morning a person asked her if she would like a drink and something to eat, she said "oh yes please" to have it taken off her and told that she was going home. 

I am sorry but where is the compassion? I live by this motto, treat people how you would like your own family members to be treated. How would they like their mum or granny to be treated like this.  I have spoken to her GP and have been informed that she must be taken to the Ulster because that is where she gets treated and is familiar. 

I have written this to ask for people to please be more considerate and ensure that a patient who has dementia has someone with them for comfort.  All the other patients had a person with them, Mum felt so isolated, think how frightening this was for her.

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Responses

Response from Linsey Sheerin, Divisional Nurse, Urgent and Emergency Care, Emergency Care, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 3 months ago
Linsey Sheerin
Divisional Nurse, Urgent and Emergency Care, Emergency Care,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 29/01/2024 at 12:08
Published on Care Opinion at 12:08


Dear PA73,

My name is Linsey Sheerin, I am the Divisional Nurse for Urgent and Emergency Care at Belfast Trust. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience on Care Opinion, I am sincerely sorry for the delay in responding to you and for the poor experiences your mother has had while in our care. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with you further, if this is something you would like to do please contact me at linsey.sheerin@belfasttrust.hscni.net

I hope your mother is currently well

Linsey

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