Patient sent home from St Mary’s returns in critical condition

An elderly hospital patient, who had been discharged from St Mary’s, had to return after just ten days. Molly, 87, who had been diagnosed with pneumonia, was sent home from the hospital on December 6, without any support plan.

Sue Chessell, her daughter, said: “Since her return, we have had to take shifts looking after her as she’s incapable of doing anything for herself and can’t get to the bathroom without the support of another person.”

Her brother and sister live on the mainland, and they have been swapping shifts to ensure someone was always with their mother.

Sue said: “I am so tired, and so worried. This isn’t sustainable.”

After putting out an appeal on Facebook, Islanders donated items to Sue, including a £1,000 blow up seat to help Molly get in and out of the bath.
Just ten days after being sent home, Molly had to return to hospital in a critical condition. Sue said the situation was ‘touch and go’, although she has since stabilised.

Sue continued: “During the admissions process, they asked lots of questions, and were shocked my mum had been discharged without any care plan in place.

“I do not want to criticise the NHS as a whole, because they have really served my mum well, the staff in the Emergency Department and on the Cardiac Care Unit are amazing, and the ambulance arrived within 15 minutes of me ringing 111.

“But elderly and possibly vulnerable people are being discharged from hospital without anything in place to support their recovery.”

Sue is very grateful for the wonderful support shown to her family after she had put out an appeal online.