"SURGERY (KNEE REPLACEMENT)"

My husband has been under the memory clinic with suspect dementia.

He was admitted for knee replacement surgery in May 2011, and had a bad reaction to drugs administered causing him to be even more confused than usual, and was taken to the intensive care unit for 2 days then the HD unit, where I think he contracted MRSA causing even more confusion, and hallucinations.

He was then transferred to a isolation room. I visited on one occasion to find him sitting in the dark with the door shut and his knee had bled so badly that there was a pool of blood on the floor and in his slippers, the blood on the floor had dried at the outside which showed that he'd been left for some considerable time, due to his confusion he didn't think to press the button for attention.

On another occasion, in the afternoon, I asked if his dressing could be changed as blood had accumulated and was seeping through. When I visited in the evening it had still not been changed - I refused to leave until it was seen to.

His confusion was such that he would pull out IV lines which were to administer anti biotics for MRSA so he never received the full dose.

He was discharged after just 2 clear swabs (I understand it should be 3) and has subsequently suffered infection in the knee.

I feel the communication between departments at the Princess Royal is poor. I have had to chase up physiotherapy and occupational therapy, although once they come I cannot praise them enough.