"problems with the district nurses"

Mum has previously been treated by district nurses for leg ulcers. As soon as they started healing mum was left to wash her legs, apply cream and put surgical stockings on every day and take them off every night. Sound easy? Not when the patient struggles to even get her dressed never mind trying to get the stockings on. Also doesn't even know whether its 9am or 9pm so doesn’t know when to take them off.

A relative came to the rescue and all was going well until mum got an infection in her toe and was told by a podiatrist to wear open toed stockings. We rang the district nurses and asked for open toes but we were ignored, as usual. Result - mums leg ulcers are back. Rang nurses who said we had to go back to doctors for another referral. Appointment made, doctor not very happy that we had to bring mum out. Referral completed to nurses.

Phone call received from nurses saying that we had to take mum to the clinic. Tried to explain circumstances that mum cannot get out on her own, but they acted like they were not interested - not in the least. Said that someone would have to bring her - sounds easy -but not when you are working full time. Was told that she would have to get a taxi - don’t think the taxi driver would go to the door and almost carry mum up the drive, guide her into a car and then the same once they got to the clinic

The nurse even made an accusation that mum would be able to make it to the clinic because she had been out of the house the whole of the previous day because when they tried to ring her there was no answer. Simple answer to that one - mum doesn’t answer the phone if she is in by herself. They had previously been asked not to ring mum anyway and had been given alternative numbers.

Overall I think the way this has been handled is dreadful. Elderly patients should be treated with more respect. It is not their fault they get anxious when they have to go out of the house or that they are unable to go anywhere without someone to take them.