"Where is the care .."

My elderly neighbour whom I have lived next to for coming up 20yrs and who is active, independent and fit despite her age. Became unwell following a bad cold / cough, she contacted 111, LAS and she was taken to Kingston Hospital.

We were concerned and following a phone call the following day and were told she had been discharged.

After a visit to my neighbour that morning it turned out she had spent 6 hrs in A and E and then due to there being no beds was returned home @2am.

Her home was empty, dark as she lives by herself. She was given a collection of very strong pain killers to take, but no indication what was causing her severe pain. Still distressed because of the pain and sleepless nights she made a further call to 111 in the early hours of the next day and again was taken to A and E.

This visit resulted in a stay in hospital, in the A. A. U, before being moved to Hardy ward. By this stage my neighbour was tired, confused due to lack of information, food, and lack of care or apparent interest into her needs. The tablets were making her sick and she was in a sad way, most unlike her.

As a non family member there was a limit to how much I was able to get involved, family members spoke to hospital staff, but information was patchy and confusing.

The experience my neighbour witnessed in Hardy Ward was less then acceptable. There was a disruptive fellow patient who kept everyone awake and caused further upset.

This had a knock on effect to the well being of my neighbour All of this was compounded because my neighbour was due to have a foot operation at the same time, this was cancelled at short notice and if it had not been for my neighbour speaking up for herself it would not have taken on Fri 16th October. There was a whole drama which surrounded this procedure which was witnessed by staff members.

As a result of the whole experience my neighbour could not wait to get home so to begin her recovery.

The lack of support from the local PCT and their services has been poor with little or no communication unless my neighbour had spent hours making her our follow up calls to see what was happening.

These events have left my neighbour feeling unvalued not cared for and like no one was interested in her well being.