Would You Complain - NHS

emmzickle

If I was in this situation I would suggest my friend organise a meeting with the ward manager (and also the consultant if possible) to discuss this. If they are not happy after this and feel their concerns have not been addressed/they warrant a formal complaint or they do not feel comfortable to organise a meeting I would suggest they contact the hospital Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and speak to them about taking this further if they feel appropriate.

elsien

PALS job is to try to minimise complaints.
If I make a formal complaint to the NHS then I avoid PALS and make a written complaint to the chief executive as per their full complaints procedures.
NHS complaints advocacy is available for those who want support through the process.

fred246

It's interesting if you read through all the OPs posts. I was talking to a surgeon who worked in the NHS but was originally from a third world country. He was saying that it's awful in the UK when a disabled person is terminally ill. The family have got used to living off disability benefits, motability car etc. When you tell them their disabled relative is dying, they not only stand to lose their relative, but their whole way of life. When they die the car goes back, the benefits reduce and they then have to find a job. He was saying in his original country the death of a disabled relative relieves a burden, but in our country it's the opposite.

Pollycat

fred246 wrote: »

It's interesting if you read through all the OPs posts. I was talking to a surgeon who worked in the NHS but was originally from a third world country. He was saying that it's awful in the UK when a disabled person is terminally ill. The family have got used to living off disability benefits, motability car etc. When you tell them their disabled relative is dying, they not only stand to lose their relative, but their whole way of life. When they die the car goes back, the benefits reduce and they then have to find a job. He was saying in his original country the death of a disabled relative relieves a burden, but in our country it's the opposite.

Indeed.
There's also an issue with the council property the OP's friend lived in with his Mum.
The OP's friend is not on the tenancy.

That's a situation that can arise even if the person on the tenancy isn't receiving any benefits.

LadyDee

MovingForwards wrote: »

Complain to the hospital.
Complain to the GMC and NMC about the Drs and nurses, providing your friend knows their names.

See what happens with the complaints. The NHS do have a budget for compensation claims.

A no win no fee lawyer can be considered when things have calmed down as no amount of money will bring his/her mom back.

This is the same advice I have to my friend recently who is also going through the same thing.

Why should it be about money? Surely, the emphasis should be recognition that an error has been made, an apology and retraining, and stricter lines of communication between staff, patient and relatives. All the compensation in the world will not bring Mum back, it won't make the family feel better - or perhaps it will....

My father was one of the patients that died in Gosport War Memorial Hospital in the period when the hospital is under investigation for poor/bad/malpractice. I don't want money, I want my Dad back. That's not going happen so the best that can be done is to try to ensure it never happens again.