Possible negligence in hospital after stroke

elsien

Now she's home, the DNAR could be reviewed by her GP if you want to have a proper conversation about it.

TwilightSparkle2019

Like I say it doesn't really all add up, from her being discharged too early to them not telling us much to possibility of stroke made worse with tpa drug. If I had my choice I would pay for euthanasia as that's how bad condition she is in at moment with no quality of life.

Ergates

TwilightSparkle2019 wrote: »

So where do I go from here, is it worth pursuing a negligence claim?

To what end?

TwilightSparkle2019 wrote: »

I'm going write in.

I don't expect they to say much over the phone but in person I do and I asked questions but barely told anything . Part of the dnr is not filled out, there boxes that are missing info about consulting with others plus dates crossed through.

I think I'm going have to write in and complain...

I suggest you get a friend or family member to help you with the letter. Your writing here isn't very clear.

TwilightSparkle2019

Yeh I know but my head all the place, this isn't the only thing that's gone on this year.

It's the case of asking simple questions such as why was she discharged when it was clear that more investigation was needed. I've never been told the cause of stroke, I would a time line of what happened that day she was in hospital, reason why there was bleeding on brain and so on.

The crazy thing is they told us she had 3 months to live but was mostly likely weeks could even be days... Now it's crazy hard on my father looking after her at home. They shouldn't go saying how long soneone as left, like I say it's anything to free up a hospital bed.

Dymphna60

What a really hard time for you all. It must be hard to think straight.
There is the here and now . Is your dad/ you getting all the help available to care for your mum ? If it was decided to bring her home because her time was short can this be reviewed? Is her GP in charge of her care ? Are you and your dad (? Any other family ) in agreement about her care now ? Just things for you to think about no need to share on here . Do you have support?
You have lots of questions about what happened. Some of these will have an answer some not .
Can you write down for yourself what you do know . Like who found your mum / called the ambulance. How long was it since someone had seen her before found . Do you / your dad know if she was able to give consent for treatment- verbal or nodding probably or did the Dr treat her as ‘in the best interest of the patient ‘ . It might help you to focus on what you want to ask .
Sadly how long someone will live is very hard to predict . I really don’t think you were being lied to these things are always an estimate.
Wishing you all strength and peace .

lessonlearned

Oh dear.....you are struggling. You can drive yourself crazy with all these questions.

I think it might be better if you can concentrate on your mums care for now. Making her as comfortable as possible, getting your dad the support he will need.

If there is nothing that can be done medically then your mum may well be better off at home, in familiar surroundings with her loved ones near. Or, if that can't be managed, then perhaps a hospice.

As for time scales I am afraid it's not an exact science. These things are impossible to predict.

Wishing you well at such a difficult time.

Ergates

TwilightSparkle2019 wrote: »

Yeh I know but my head all the place, this isn't the only thing that's gone on this year.

I don't doubt that - this must be an extremely stressful time. Which is why it would be very useful to have someone who is less stressed (so has a clearer head) help you get your questions written down clearly.

There are no guarantees you will ever get the answers you are looking for, however your chances are much higher if your letter is clear and concise. You don't have to do this on your own.

TwilightSparkle2019

My dad is struggling and he's just finally been referred to a service called Crossroads, they visiting last wk. I'm not sure why not sooner, they going provide someone to sit in few hours once a week.

I don't think he would have had my mum back home if he known it was going be like this he says he didn't know as they never told him, all he was told was she don't have long left. Washing machine constantly on as soiled sheets, she's very distressed, emotionally she's not coping either as can't communicate. Gp visits she crying, carers come crying, she's shouting out but don't know what she wants constantly, we really at a loss what to do.
I said to my dad shall I see about her going in a care home, he said too late now and he just getting on with it but says he should been told more what to expect, he said if he known all this then having back home wouldn't been an option but it's too much upheaval now. When my mum was in hospital she has a catheter, came home with one but kept pulling at it so it wasn't working out so was removed.

lessonlearned

A care home wouldn't be appropriate now, they couldn't provide for her needs. She needs a nursing home where she can receive proper 24/7 care, a catheter or if she can't tolerate it, then incontinent pads, she will need turning every couple of hours to relieve pressure sores, she will need medication and pain relief.

With the best will in the world no one person can provide that level of care, it takes a team, working round the clock. Your dad cannot do this alone. A sitter a few hours a week will not be sufficient.

I don't wish to pile on the agony but your mum could languish for several weeks or even months, in which case your dad will never manage.

Are adult social services involved.......

I have been in your Dad's position caring first for my husband and then trying to oversee my mothers care. I had the devil of a job, and had to fight for everything. I doubt you dad can do this now. He will probably need you to help him fight her corner.

I am afraid you do just have to keep on at them......they simply have to help you, they have a duty of care and it is your mothers legal right.

A busy hospital ward is not really the right place now because medical intervention is no longer appropriate. She needs nursing and end of life care and your poor dad needs help to ensure that she gets it.

Chase everybody......her GP and adult social services. Tomorrow is Thursday......if you wait until Friday it will be the weekend and you'll get fobbed off again. I know you don't live locally to your parents but Don't delay, hit the phones tomorrow morning. Badger everyone.

TwilightSparkle2019

We were buying pull pants, that kind of thing as it took months before the nhs started supply them. She had this hospital style bed, with an air mattress which as a machine attached to end of bed. Carers come in x 4 day, usually say 9am then evenly spaced out last visit usually 8.30...

District nurse pops out once in a while... When my mother was discharged from hospital with continuing care she come with a load of morphine and syringes, the district nurse brought a box round to house to store them in. At moment my mother just on paracetamol. The gp visits about once a fortnight. My father isn't far off 80 and basically that's the situation. Someone sitting in for a few hours a week, well that service not commenced.

Social servives don't want to know as my mum is all nhs continuing healthcare funded.

We've been on and on about getting a wheelchair but the occupational therapist messed up with regard to ramp, she asked social services and social services said no when they realised she was nhs funded... So I had to get back onto the O.T she said no one told me she was nhs funded... I never even received an apology from her and she was in the house in person. No one basically communicates.

We had wait around a couple months for someone to visit from wheelchairs as the NHS use some company...

My dad wanted her back home as we were told she didn't have long left, however I can see it become really hard as the weeks pass... He says we'll they didn't say this that and the other about her condition... Like she's really distressed about how the stroke as affected her.

I'd been in touch with stroke UK charity, they weren't much help, they come round once the local Co ordinator not heard back since...

As I say social servives don't want to know as she's all nhs funded. My dad should be getting a social care assessment but he said he don't want that. I did put in a form for carers allowance - my mother receives attendance allowance, but he not entitled to carers cos over threshold I think the letter said to do with pension credits.

The district nurse said to me that they put a pain relief driver on, it be on timer and that be sufficient when I asked about towards the end etc

My father is pretty stubborn, his attitude about it all now is he's been managing all this time so he just get on with it now.