"Lack of care for older patients at Mayday A&E"

It was not a busy night in A&E at Mayday Hospital in Croydon when my 75 year old mother was taken there by ambulance. She had been admitted about 30 mins before I arrived and we were in the majors part of the department between 11pm and 5am. During this time I observed nurses talking amongst themselves and overheard their social conversations. They did not pay much attention to the six elderly patients in the majors area. One elderly patient was confused and kept trying to get off of his bed. It was left to his disabled elderly wife to manage him.

One elderly woman was discharged to hospital transport at 3am. I noted that she was washed and dressed by a nurse who did not even speak to her during this very 'personal' process.

I was shocked that nobody spoke with my mother to admit her. Whilst her blood pressure was taken and an ECG was done, the nurse did not speak to her or explain what would happen. At 4am no further checks had been done on my mother, but she was very distressed.

I asked a nurse whether there was a plan for my mother or what their concerns were. Initially the nurse tried to imply that it was a busy night, but I pointed out that it was very evident that this was not the case. At 5am I took my mother home. I was asked if she was discharging herself. I told them that she was not, but that I was taking her home for her own health and safety.

Miraculously a senior nurse managed to find a doctor to give my mother a cursory check before we left. This is a poor indictment on the hospital and its nursing staff. Hospital managers should be ashamed of this.