"Patient care"

am writing to voice my concern at the lack of duty of care I feel my mum received whilst in the care of RBCH.

Firstly my mum was admitted in December 2013 by ambulance after our concerns with urine infection and chest infection and her being delirious. (The GP ordered ambulance). She was admitted to ward 2 treated with antibiotics etc.

She had a fall in hospital whilst visiting the bathroom (to which no x-ray was carried out) she hurt her already painful spine (arthritis).

She was discharged on in Jan 2014 to her home, with the understanding that there would be a care package put in place. My brother and I had to chase this up with our GP surgery through the tracker nurse. Then the re-enablement team got involved, mornings only for showering. During that week her mobility that was not good on discharge deteriorated dramatically she had a number of falls in which we got her up with 3 of us helping her as she could not weight bear by this point. It was taking 1/2 hour plus to just get her off the toilet or sofa etc. We added extra cushions to the sofa to try an make this easier to no avail. By the Saturday I was trying to lift her whole weight and manoeuvre her by myself as no one else was available to help with this. Saturday evening I called the out of hours doctor who called an ambulance they examined her and took her to RBCH again as her blood sugar level had gone down very low. When she arrived at RBCH She was extremely lethargic due blood sugars being so low, they treated her over night. They X-rayed her and discovered a fractured vertebrae and four ribs. Once moved to AMU they had saline drip inserted for fluid that wasn't pumping I went and told staff, then had to wait 3/4 hour before anyone came and saw to it. (after a reminder from me). She had had nothing to eat or drink which again I had to request.

She was then moved to ward 4 where she was in the bays for a couple of days the OT came and assessed her to which I assumed work would be done with her to improve mobility. This did not happen, they also mentioned doing a CT scan to find out if she had had a stroke again this did not happen! She was moved into a side room due to loose stools and sickness for which they tested and came back clear. (I had informed them that loose stools is a regular occurrence) She was still left in this room shut away and seemingly forgotten about. She was not being got out of bed or encouraged to move around to improve mobility at all. As staff had to gown up to go in her room they seemed to just pop their heads in to check on her. This continued, she had a fall to which I was informed and assumed she would have been examined.

She had been examined by a doctor but no x-rays taken.

I was called on the Friday to ask if I could collect her this news was quite a shock as I had been promised that she would not be discharged without her being mobile and able to look after herself.

I got to the hospital approx 10. 30-45 to find my mother dressed and ready to go bed stripped etc, to then be told she needed to be examined by a doctor, the doctor then came in the room very rudely asked and who are you? ? I answered then he examined my mother's elbow which had been giving her pain since the fall on thursday. He said he was 90% sure there was nothing broken and that I had to promise to take her to GP the next day, I said GP surgery would be closed as was a saturday. He then told me to promise to take her on the monday and if there was more pain over weekend to take her to A&E for x-ray. I replied surely it would be better to have x-ray done before we left the hospital, to which he replied sure fine I'll go get forms and you can take her. I did.

We then went back to ward (12. 15 ish) to be told the doctor that needed to see xrays would not be on the ward til 2pm ish and told to go sit in side room and wait. As I had my son with me I decided that I would take mother and my son to restaurant to get food and drink. We arrived back on ward approx 1. 50pm the doctor then came in and said there was a fracture to her elbow and he was waiting for orthopaedics from Poole hospital to get back to him in regards to what treatment to follow, he also said he would probably keep her in overnight which I did voice concern over as how was she supposed to use a zimmer frame with one arm? ? ! !

My mother was then discharged this week and was to be taken home by hospital transport I voiced concern at this and changed it so she came to my house as thought it would be a safer option as she is not very mobile, stable and not eating or drinking without being prompted. ( and still this is a struggle). There is a care package put in place this time, she was supposed to meet a 1. 30pm deadline to meet the supervisor setting all this up at my address. I called the discharge lounge after this time to be told she still hadn't arrived there yet. My mother arrived at my house approx 5pm after the supervisor had had to leave.

I am extremely upset and disappointed with the care and support my mother has received in RBCH. I appreciate there are staff shortages etc but patient "care" should be top Priority! Had I have not been visiting I wonder if my mother would have had a working drip, had anything to eat or drink etc..