"Lack of basic care for my mum"

One afternoon at 3pm, after arriving at A&E around 12.30, my mother was moved from Emergency A&E to EAU while waiting for tests of Bloods were ongoing until 2am the next day.

I left my 86 (almost 87) year old mum at 7.30pm to rest on the ward, while I went home after an exhausting waiting around day. I gave her, her overnight bag and advised the senior nurse that I was leaving for the night.

When I arrived the next morning at 9.15am, I was angry to find my mum had not even been asked or covered up since I left the evening before. I saw the sheet was still folded at the end of the bed and even though this seemed to me to be a busy unit, mum told me they had moved her bed and given her the evening medication, but I feel like no one had given a thought that this elderly lady needed to be left comfortable, with a sheet and blanket for the night.

She told me she had covered herself over with her dressing gown; she was also in the bay right opposite the nurses’ station. We requested a 2nd pillow from 2 staff the evening before, that was unable to be filled. Other than the heart problem she was there for, she also has, and was advised, she has several back discs de-generating, so I feel like she was left without just a small amount of care. I was and still am very upset as this was a stressful enough time for her and the family. I am her daughter and carer; she is housebound and lives with me and my husband.

Mum and I were very agitated just waiting and watching the care of other patients which we thought was not good until discharged.

I believe my mum lied about still having the pain as it was not, according to results a major issue, just so she could go home. I believe she will suffer in future instead of telling me so I can get medical advice.

I don’t feel like I would have left my mum alone, at anytime, if I had known that they could not cover her at night; something which I see as basic care.