Heart attack widow, 99, ‘kicked out of hospital' (From Worcester News)
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Heart attack widow, 99, ‘kicked out of hospital'
9:20am Saturday 20th October 2012 in News
By James Connell
HEART OP: Beaty Thompson.
A WIDOW aged 99 was ‘kicked out’ of hospital before she had recovered from a life-saving heart operation say her furious family.
Beaty Thompson was admitted to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester after suffering her third heart attack.
The great grandmother had a pacemaker fitted during a two-hour operation on Wednesday, September 19, her 99th birthday. But at 5pm the next day, less than 24 hours after the op, she was discharged.
The hospital says having a pacemaker fitted is a “relatively straightforward process”, which is usually does not usually require an overnight stay.
Mrs Thompson, an honorary life president of the Worcestershire Pensioners Action Group known for her campaigning work, said: “At the hospital I was treated respectfully but when the doctor said he was sending me home I was gobsmacked. The nurses and staff were marvellous but it isn’t right to send a person home that quickly, I don’t care what anybody says. I was shocked. It upset me.”
Her family were given an hour’s notice before Mrs Thompson was discharged and were told they could pick her up or she would be taken home in an ambulance which would take another three to four hours.
Her son Stanley Thompson, 71, came from Birmingham to collect her and spent the night in her Warndon flat to keep an eye on her.
Another son, 63-year-old Barry Thompson of Humber Road, Ronkswood, Worcester, said discharging a woman of his mum’s age 24 hours after an operation was too soon. His mother lives alone in sheltered accommodation with no on-site warden to check on her.
Mr Thompson said: “She’s 99, for God’s sake. It was a case of, ‘Thank you very much – we need the bed’. The pacemaker was a nice birthday present, and we’re thankful she had it, but not for her being kicked out of the hospital within 24 hours.”
Mrs Thompson spent some time recovering at The Firs care home in Malvern Road, before she was readmitted to hospital on Thursday with pneumonia.
“She was still covered in bruises where she had had injections. The carers at The Firs thought she had been run over by a bus, “ said Mr Thompson.
“I’m concerned somebody of mum’s age was released from hospital without any concern for her wellbeing thereafter. I’m spitting feathers.”
A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said it fitted 200 pacemakers every year “It is usually carried out under local anaesthetic as a day case and most people are well enough to leave hospital later the same day or the next day,” she said.
“It seems this was not effectively communicated with Mrs Thompson and her family and we are very sorry that this has marred what was otherwise a positive experience. We have taken on board the family’s feedback and will be working with our staff to ensure discharge processes always reflect the excellent level of care we provide”.
Comments(9)
green49
says...
11:27am Sat 20 Oct 12
Then
Keith B
says...
11:46am Sat 20 Oct 12
Their officers at senior level are well paid (many about twice that of an MP) and this needs reviewing ... but the vast majority of Council staff below Principle Officer level are paid at about the level of an average person doing a similar job.
Just correcting a misconception so previlant in out society and with so many contributors on this site
Going back to the lead subject, Mrs Thompsons case, while understanding the mood behind them, I'm not quite sure how the above will contribute to her well being.
green49
says...
1:26pm Sat 20 Oct 12
It could put money back into the country and the NHS rather than be wasted on a load of waste which we as a country seem to be very good at.
Councillors pay your right on but how come some have been councilors for years? they can't exist on expenses alone.
I agree we need to look at council officers pay, i have no beef at all if they are worth it and have the expertise needed but some i know have very little knowledge of departments they run they rely on the workers and that's not on when it's the workers who are bearing the brunt of job loss.
BJT
says...
1:36pm Sun 21 Oct 12
The fact of the matter is that Mrs Thompson was admitted to WRH and treated for a heart condition one week prior to the Pacemaker being fitted .
On the day of the operation (her 99th Birthday) her family were informed mother would not be discharged until she was well enough to be returned to her home, which is not in a warden controlled environment.
It is not a case of the son's being annoyed at having to look after mother it was the fact that the family were given one hours notice after being assured that mother would not be released until well enough to return to her home with support in place. There are certain female needs and requirements which cannot be dealt with by son's.
There is a WRH NHS discharge policy in place called Complex Discharge for this very requirement however the WRH deemed not to follow for what ever reason. The after care mother received after her discharge was arranged by her doctor after been called out the next day due to her being short of breath and in distress, with the Rapid Responce Team help a carehome place was found for mother to recover under 24 hour care which was provide by the FIRS in Worcester. Mother stayed at the home for two weeks, and with the help from her granddaughter knowledge assured there was partner agencies inplace to assist with Mrs Thompson return to independence at home.
The article in the Worcester News may have failed to explain several key facts, nevertheless the family hopes by going public will raise concerns with the current Discharge Policy at WRH so that these actions will not be repeated for those that do not have family support.
The H&W Radio bradcasted the story and asked for listeners comments, it would appear from the replies that this is not an isolated case and has happened before but not reported.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions; however, I hope that 'Truth Must Out' does not have to go through the same episode as the family of Mrs Thompson did, if the same happens then and only then will he/she understand what Mrs Thompson has been through.
Thank you for the support!
Jabbadad
says...
2:46pm Sun 21 Oct 12
I sense that you have previously contributed to these columns under a different name, trying to be a devils advocate, however when a subject as important to all our vulnerable people comes to print you should obviously ask for advice before offering intensely offensive statements.
Beaty Thompson's case is but a tip of the iceberg of what is happening to our vulnerable elderly with reports of Hospitals using the LCP (Liverpool Care Pathway) known as an assisted death pathway, whereby our elderly are put on an end of life care plan, which includes heavy sedation and the removal of tubes providing food and fluid, resulting in death after 4 days but sometimes longer.
The biggest problems that campaigners against elderly abuse face is the reluctance for victims of medical or physical abuse to offer their names in evidence. But it won't stop the just campaigns against these indefensible actions against some of the most vulnerable in our society.
BJT
says...
3:20pm Sun 21 Oct 12
As with WRH Trust there are policies in place which cover all aspects of an hospital environment the question has to be wheather they chose to follow to the letter or not and if not why not???. Perhaps when the elderly are involved it is because just that 'They are Old' that the policy and its contents, in parts are just ignored. Until the standards for the elderly, some who have seen 2 great wars improves then the fight will continue to give those elderly the respect and dignity they truely deserve in our society.
As for 'Truth Must Out' he/she may be under the ellusion that they will never become old and the world will not, at the moment, owe them continued life in comfort! However, when they DO BE COME OLD! I truely wish them ever success for the future and if they become ill when they are old then please feel free to contact me and I will attempt to get the support they thought they would not need!!!
Thanks again for the support!.
BJT
says...
8:00pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Appreciate the comments nevertheless the current trend and/or statements being made is diverting from the real issue, the fact remains that Mrs Thompson was discharged without due consideration to her age and her home environment she would be going home too. The NHS Trust has a discharge policy and the fact remains the same; mother was discharged without the policy being adhered too. If the family had been given due notice as per the policy, 24 to 48 hrs notice not just 1 hour, we could have arranged the 24 hr care she required.
Some people have more compassion than others, they see the pain and understand the implications and to those we say thank you!!
To those that think otherwise, and they too are entitled to express their views, I say this; just remember one day you will get old and I just hope that by highlighting these issues now and bringing them to the attention of the wider public things will have changed and we hope there are still people out there that care and will fight the corner for those not in a position to do so themselves.
You never know it might even be those that have thought differently and expressed their view to this article.
Thank you!
More Tea Vicar
says...
1:31pm Fri 26 Oct 12
This isn't a question of resource, but of mentality. And it doesn't mean that the NHS is all bad. It really isn't all bad at all, and in fact seems much better than it has been for decades.
But stories like this keep happening, and need dealing with.
It all fits in with the kind of mentality that would even consider shuttng down Redditch A+E. No one with any common sense would even contemplate that. But local NHS management would.
As far as they are concerned, there will still be A+E in the county, so they can justify their salaries and say they're doing a good job.
Keith B says...
11:07am Sat 20 Oct 12
This is tick box doctoring, nowadays very common at Worcester and elsewhere. Individuals do not count, just the average outcome as the accountants and administrators have greater impact than the doctors in hospitals.
BUT ..... The NHS budget is already out of control, as is the social care for the elderly budget which should have kicked in on Mrs Thompsons release.
Hands up who is willing pay 5% more on their income tax to help pay for better funded NHS services. We are only a few years away from the WHOLE of our Council Tax being spent looking after the elderly. Nothing left to spend on schools, roads, emptying dustbins or provision of all those services we rely on.
All the best to Mrs Thompson for many years to come .... but her case highlights the problems we have to come.