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"Terrible a and e care of the elderly"

About: Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

My mother who is 91 and has cancer was taken to a and e by ambulance on Saturday 14/05/16, after a long time my mother had a chest xray,she had blood tests and blood pressure monitoring, a while later a doctor told me they could find nothing wrong ! Later still a nurse asked me if I could take her home, what, she cannot walk, has swollen legs and arms, and is clearly dying. They said transport would be arranged, my nephew decided him and his wife would come and get her, when they got there they had decided to admit her, strange as there was nothing wrong with her ? I asked a doctor, how do you know how far the cancer has spread, the reply was 'well we don't, unless we do a scan, which we won't, because we won't treat her' outrageous ! We left my mother in the incapable hands of the nursing staff overnight. At 10.30 the next day I got a call from a registrar who seemed to be a bit annoyed as they said my mother was dying, as I knew, they said if she had been sent home it would have been catastrophic, she died at 7pm on Sunday 15/05/16, Shame on you Poole hospital for the abysmal care that you show the old folk of Poole town who have contributed all their lives.

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Responses

Response from Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 7 years ago
Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Submitted on 17/05/2016 at 12:10
Published on nhs.uk on 19/05/2016 at 02:34


I am extremely sorry to hear of the death of your mother and of your account of her lack of care in A&E on the day before she passed away.

I would very much like to ask the senior medical staff in A&E to investigate what went wrong in your mother's case, if you would permit me.

This is certainly a very long way from the standard of care that we would normally offer patients.

Even when the department is extremely busy, which it frequently is, we would not send such a poorly patient back home.

Please would you call the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at Poole Hospital on 01202 448499 so that I can take the your mother's details to instigate an investigation?

Please accept my sincere condolences on your loss.

PALS Lead, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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