A shocked Tayport carer who claims her friend was discharged early from hospital to a house with no heating is calling for answers.
Lindsay McFadyen works as an unpaid carer for her friend’s mother, Shirley Munro, 78.
After Shirley suffered a fall which caused a fracture in her thigh, Lindsay was told Shirley would be in hospital from October 25, recovering for six to eight weeks.
But after just 11 days in hospital, Shirley, who has COPD, was unexpectedly discharged. Lindsay claims the house was cold, empty of food and not ready for her return.
Lindsay, 59, explains: “I help look after Shirley, do her cleaning and other bits and bobs to help. I come in and out when I can, I live along the road from her.
“Because I was told she’d be in hospital for six to eight weeks, I turned all her heating off because I thought there was no point in paying for it while she wasn’t in the house.
“I cleared her fridge out of milk and meats and other things.
“And because I thought she’d be in for weeks, I thought I’d get Shirley’s house painted, so all the furniture was in the middle of the room.”
Early discharge
Shirley was unexpectedly discharged from Ninewells on November 4, but Lindsay says she wasn’t notified of this by hospital staff.
Lindsay, 59, continues: “Our friend happened to go up and visit Shirley that day. She called me about the back of 3pm to say she was getting out.
“I’m Shirley’s first point of contact because her daughter lives in Spain. But they hadn’t contacted me to say she was getting home.
“I asked Shirley when she found out she’d be going home and it was when our friend was there visiting, so not even Shirley knew before then.”
Lindsay says she spoke to a nurse at Ninewells and told them she couldn’t get into Shirley’s house until nearer 7pm that night, so could they please delay the discharge slightly.
“It was so I could get he house heated up. I needed that delay to get the house sorted,” Lindsay explains.
“But Shirley was sent home around 4pm in an ambulance, so they didn’t try to delay her.
“They sent a 78-year-old lady with severe COPD home, knowing there was no heating, no food and the furniture was all over the place.”
‘The ambulance driver wrapped her in a blanket’
Lindsay says it was thanks to a kind ambulance driver, who took her home from Ninewells, that Shirley was taken care of once back in her house.
But she believes the situation could have been avoided if she’d been listened to.
She says: “The ambulance driver couldn’t believe how cold it was when he dropped her off.
“He wrapped her up in a blanket, found a plug-in heater and got it set up.
“He must have moved the furniture about so she could be mobile, as she walks with a walker. The hospital knew that’s what she was coming home to.”
Lindsay adds: “It’s a total lack of care and lack of thought. I was very frustrated because I couldn’t get anybody to help me.
“If I wasn’t about – and luckily I am – what would have happened?”
Lindsay says she has complained directly to NHS Tayside about the situation.
Advance discharge planning
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “Due to patient confidentiality we are unable to comment on matters relating to individual cases.
“We would invite the patient to contact our Feedback Team with any concerns they may have.
“When a patient is admitted to hospital, their treatment plan, including details for discharge or transfer, is discussed and agreed directly with the patient so they can make appropriate arrangements for their return home.
“This advance discharge planning is carried out to help identify any additional social care services or support a person may need when leaving hospital.”
Fife Health and Social Care Partnership were approached for comment.
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