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COMPLAINT ... Scarborough Hospital

Published Date: 10 October 2009
By Laura Crothers Scarborough Evening News

A FURIOUS woman is asking for a review of Scarborough Hospital's discharge policy after her 81-year-old mother was left to find her own way home - 36 miles away - at 2am.

After being taken to the hospital by ambulance earlier in the evening, grandmother Pamela Mercer was then discharged in the early hours of the morning, and wearing a nightie and dressing gown, was left to make her own way to her home to Helmsley.

The elderly patient, who had gone to hospital suffering acute pain due to a kidney infection, ended up paying £40 for a taxi home.

Mrs Mercer's daughter Lesley Wray, who works at Scarborough's Probation Service, said she cannot believe the way her elderly mother was treated.

She said: "I could not believe she was just turfed out like that, especially at that time in the morning. It is just disgusting.

Speaking about Mrs Mercer's discharge, a spokesman from Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: "As this patient was medically fit to return home and was able to make an informed choice about her discharge, choosing to go home in a taxi, she was discharged

Mick Pilling writes:

I would like to see better arrangments for Patients & will be taking this up with Chief Executive Richard Sunley at our next meeting on Thursday 10th December 2009

An all too familiar story that as been going on for sometime, in fact years, I have had meetings with Chief Executives Alison Guy, Christine Green, Iain McInnes & Richard Sunley on the way that patients are discharged in the early hours to find there way home, it is quite appalling to send a patient home in there night attire, this can range from the young to the very elderly. The problem stems from when you are picked up as a patient in an Ambulance that as been called because you are ill, once in the ambulance you become a patient of (YAS) Yorkshire Ambulance Service, when you arrive at the Scarborough Hospital and are signed over you then become a patient of the hospital until you are discharge, you came by ambulance, you now have to find your own way home? There should be a much better procedure upon discharge.

I firmly believe that the Scarborough Hospital Trust should give this type of discharging of patients a closer look and an investigation. Would they like there own families to be treated in this terrible way. The only person to have done anything about the above was Ms Alison Guy who laid on transport for this type of scenario, good at the time but no other chief executive as dared to do the same, mind you Alison was and could be very understanding.

Once you call a Taxi from the Scarborough NHS Hospital to take you home beware; it can be very expensive and can cost in the region of between £25.00 & £40.00 depending upon where you live, some patients who are on Income Support, Pension Credits or Low Income this can be very costly, so be aware.
It is much cheaper if you can contact a friend or someone in your family, so try to make some kind of arrange whilst you are at hospital; please don't get caught out some times this can be very embarrassing.

Regards Mick Pilling fighting for a better NHS for all

**************************************************

Hi Mick,

I could not agree more!!!

This is just Scandalous, & the Person responsible for the Discharge of Patients should be disciplined over this one!!!

There is NO Elderly Person, who is capable of standing up for themselves in this sort of situation!!

It is quite obvious that the 81 Year Old Lady, thought that when an official of the Hospital said you can go home now, if you haven't got any transport, we'll phone for a Taxi, She would be thinking that it's 'Laid On & Paid for' BUT IT ISN'T!!!

I've often thought about this one, & I cannot help but wonder, if there isn't a 'Back Hand Scam' going on?? Because it is always the same Taxi Company that gets called to take the patient home; NIPPY TAXIS!!!

Regards

Peter H. Jordan

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Anger over gran who left Scarborough Hospital at 2am

COMPLAINT ... Scarborough Hospital Published Date: 10 October 2009 By Laura Crothers Scarborough Evening News A FURIOUS woman is asking for a review of Scarborough Hospital's discharge policy after her 81-year-old mother was left to find her own way home - 36 miles away - at 2am. After being taken to the hospital by ambulance earlier in the evening, grandmother Pamela Mercer was then discharged in the early hours of the morning, and wearing a nightie and dressing gown, was left to make her own way to her home to Helmsley. The elderly patient, who had gone to hospital suffering acute pain due to a kidney infection, ended up paying £40 for a taxi home. Mrs Mercer's daughter Lesley Wray, who works at Scarborough's Probation Service, said she cannot believe the way her elderly mother was treated. She said: "I could not believe she was just turfed out like that, especially at that time in the morning. It is just disgusting. Speaking about Mrs Mercer's discharge, a spokesman from Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: "As this patient was medically fit to return home and was able to make an informed choice about her discharge, choosing to go home in a taxi, she was discharged Mick Pilling writes: I would like to see better arrangments for Patients & will be taking this up with Chief Executive Richard Sunley at our next meeting on Thursday 10th December 2009 An all too familiar story that as been going on for sometime, in fact years, I have had meetings with Chief Executives Alison Guy, Christine Green, Iain McInnes & Richard Sunley on the way that patients are discharged in the early hours to find there way home, it is quite appalling to send a patient home in there night attire, this can range from the young to the very elderly. The problem stems from when you are picked up as a patient in an Ambulance that as been called because you are ill, once in the ambulance you become a patient of (YAS) Yorkshire Ambulance Service, when you arrive at the Scarborough Hospital and are signed over you then become a patient of the hospital until you are discharge, you came by ambulance, you now have to find your own way home? There should be a much better procedure upon discharge. I firmly believe that the Scarborough Hospital Trust should give this type of discharging of patients a closer look and an investigation. Would they like there own families to be treated in this terrible way. The only person to have done anything about the above was Ms Alison Guy who laid on transport for this type of scenario, good at the time but no other chief executive as dared to do the same, mind you Alison was and could be very understanding. Once you call a Taxi from the Scarborough NHS Hospital to take you home beware; it can be very expensive and can cost in the region of between £25.00 & £40.00 depending upon where you live, some patients who are on Income Support, Pension Credits or Low Income this can be very costly, so be aware. It is much cheaper if you can contact a friend or someone in your family, so try to make some kind of arrange whilst you are at hospital; please don't get caught out some times this can be very embarrassing. Regards Mick Pilling fighting for a better NHS for all ************************************************** Hi Mick, I could not agree more!!! This is just Scandalous, & the Person responsible for the Discharge of Patients should be disciplined over this one!!! There is NO Elderly Person, who is capable of standing up for themselves in this sort of situation!! It is quite obvious that the 81 Year Old Lady, thought that when an official of the Hospital said you can go home now, if you haven't got any transport, we'll phone for a Taxi, She would be thinking that it's 'Laid On & Paid for' BUT IT ISN'T!!! I've often thought about this one, & I cannot help but wonder, if there isn't a 'Back Hand Scam' going on?? Because it is always the same Taxi Company that gets called to take the patient home; NIPPY TAXIS!!! Regards Peter H. Jordan



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