This story has been posted by Healthwatch Tameside on behalf of a member of the public. We have their details and will forward any comments to them. They said…
This lady’s relative died last March aged over 90. For over 5 years until a hospital admission in August 2013, she was required to go to hospital for INR testing, as she was on Warfarin. These tests were ordered every 6 weeks and the lady needed a wheelchair to get to the haematology department, as she had very reduced mobility. The ambulances which came for her often did not have a wheelchair on board. Sometimes no ambulance came at all. Eventually the family had to pay for taxis back home, as the wait for an ambulance at the hospital was too long. As the lady’s dementia became worse she became increasingly distressed by getting to appointments, and transferring to the ambulance then to hospital and back home all upset her.
This lady’s questions are:
As she herself is on Warfarin and has her blood tests at her GP’s surgery, why did her relative have to undergo all this stress, when she was living in a residential care home which was regularly visited by District Nurses? Surely these nurses could have taken blood?
And while she realises the ambulance driver was not at fault, why couldn’t a wheelchair have been provided every time? And who is responsible for ambulances not turning up?
"Unnecessary stress for elderly lady to get blood tests"
About: Arriva Transport Solutions Limited Arriva Transport Solutions Limited SR3 3XP www.arriva.co.uk Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust Ashton-Under-Lyne OL6 9RW
Posted by Julsy3 (as ),
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