"Recent experience in Loane House"

Patient has Parkinson’s and had fallen causing a neck injury to reoccur. Admitted to Craigavon area hospital for scans and monitoring. After eight days was transferred to Loane House at the beginning of Sept for rehabilitation. Patient was able to walk with a rollator and assistance of 2 persons in Craigavon.

Daily nursing, care /assistant care was exemplary. I could name some in particular, but that would be unfair to others . As patient was disruptive at night the night staff had a more difficult task ,but some were less patient than others .

As for the rehabilitation, in what at the time of admission was a rehab facility, very much failed to meet expectations. Physio was not provided at all regularly and when COVID hit the wards was even further reduced. Patient contacted COVID and needed a transfer to Craigavon for a week.

On returning to Loane House patient was allocated a side ward. This was completely isolating as regards patient and staff interaction—— important for Parkinson’s patients to lift the mood .Family were advised this was to limit  the risk of infection.

Within one week of return a MDM was arranged and discharge discussed. Family were dismayed at the haste of said meeting as patient was clearly very physically and mentally fatigued and physio insisting that base line had been achieved and no further input would be beneficial in a cruel and insensitive manner.

The discharge was pending a care package of assistance of  two four times daily was flagged.

Subsequent meetings were arranged ,one including the Consultant .Family have not been advised of his report.

Christmas came and went ,obviously staff holidays occurred so physio was a rarity.

Eventually when routine resumed ,family inquired why no physio ,they were advised that the unit was changed to a nurse/G P led unit and as patient was in the waiting for discharge category there was no priority for physio and if there was time in the rota, physio would take place .This happened twice since Christmas ! 

Family watched as patient physically deteriorated —— with Parkinson’s if you don’t use it —you loose it ! 

There was no final physio assessment before discharge.

Family thought the opposite would have happened and that patients pending discharge would benefit from more physio input to build up their strength.

On initial meeting with Consultant family stated that admission to Loane House was —- a cloud with a silver lining as they believed this would enable patient to physically improve. Unfortunately this was definitely not the case. As mentioned previously patient was able to mobilise in Craigavon with assistance of two the previous week.

There is little that can be done to resolve this patient’s problems but please use this information to help someone else!

Incidentally the O.T. Input was negligible . Patient had more support when attending one session at the Day Hospital than they had in the prolonged stay in Loane House