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"Traumatic time"

About: Royal Alexandra Hospital / Neurology

(as a relative),

My sister was admitted fully conscious with a severe chest infection, she had been turned away by A & E a few hours earlier but had to return as her condition worsened.

My sister was still very much awake & very aware of what was going on.

If fact she had discussions about plans we had made for our next holiday.

They were treating her with anti biotics & steroids.

With a few short days they had to intubate her & put her into an induced coma.

When they were satisfied the infection was clear enough they started to reduce the sedatives to bring her out of the coma.

When this didn't work the staff were confused as to why, the one of the nurses quipped up I wonder if it is because we have been giving her her own medication along with what we are giving her.

My sister was bi polar & on a lot of medication...I was shocked & to this day I regret not asking exactly what she meant by that.

They could not bring her out of the coma & her condition deteriorated & we were told it was unlikely she would pull through because they thought she had developed Neuroleptic Malagrant syndrome.

Using terms such as " basically her brain is frying" I mean what decent health professional uses such terms.

My sister's daughter was told to shut up because she was traumatised & crying about losing her mum.

The whole time was totally traumatic for us all.

I wanted to take it further but my sister's children didn't because they couldn't face it & I had to respect that.

However I've never been able to grieve for my sister as I simply can't accept her death as something that was meant to happen & could have been avoided in ICU Staff had acted differently.

My sister died the following morning.

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Responses

Response from Lisa Ramsay, Patient Experience Public Involvement Team Support, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 8 years ago
Lisa Ramsay
Patient Experience Public Involvement Team Support,
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

I work in a small team within NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Part of the team’s role is to support patients and carers through our feedback systems which will help to improve the services we provide. On Patient Opinion, I support Lorna Gray, Patient Experience Public Involvement Project Manager, and Niall McGrogan, Head of Patient Experience Public Involvement.

Submitted on 18/03/2016 at 14:00
Published on Care Opinion at 16:35


Dear yve

Thank you for your posting. I would like to offer my sincere sympathies to you and your family on the loss of your sister so unexpectedly. This must be a very difficult time for you all.

You have raised a number of serious concerns in your post and we would like to look into this further. Jacki Smart, General Manager within the Royal Alexandra Hospital would like to meet with you to listen to these concerns and take them forward for you. If you would like me to arrange this, please email me directly with your contact details on Lisa.Ramsay@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Lisa

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