"Unhelpful, blocking communication!"

I was very concerned, as an ex RGN, older, but worked for the NHS from 1977, starting as an auxiliary nurse as a youngster. Taking a diploma and degree course in cardiology specialist nursing and training at Goodhope hospital. Worked at the Queen Elizabeth CCU, Liver ITU. Ward 6 cardiology directorate at East Birmingham, taught social Care at TORC Tamworth.

I now have my own business and care for an elderly couple that are registered with the Hawthorne surgery. Both in eighties.

I discovered my female client (physically disabled, partially blind,diabetic, has heart issues also), had a new and very nasty injury on her heel when I arrived, early afternoon. Half of her heel was bruised and two small wound areas, small but oozing a little. My client is an insulin dependent diabetic in her eighties, not very mobile, prone to falls, has an implanted heart defibrillator, that shocks very rapid specific arrhythmias of the heart, she hasn’t much feeling in her extremities, as diabetes numbs feeling in these areas. This kind of injury should be seen and treated fairly early, as very quickly with the blood sugar most of the time being high, this can very quickly escalate to infection and swelling. Her knee was extra warm and swollen and I rang the surgery immediately.

The result was advise to ring 111 NHS direct. I asked if they had a specialist diabetic nurse on site, yes they had but she was in clinic and fully booked as well as the GP. It was a Friday, so the whole weekend a vulnerable couple, husband has Alzheimer’s also, they would be left alone all weekend with husband of 85.

I then further asked if I could please just talk to the specialist nurse, or send photos via email and get some kind of advise please,on what I should do with this, to protect my client from sepsis and infection generally. The answer was refusal, not only to give me the specialist nurses email, but no when I asked for their surgery email.

Long story short, no care offered at all, no help with any assessment and blocking and refusal to give email, so I could try to allow a medically trained specialist to assess the seriousness of the heel injury of the very elderly and vulnerable client under their care.

Badger service was arranged by 111 NHS Direct, but took 12 hours to re assess on the phone three times, to advise it was far too late, this took from one o’clock in the afternoon to one o’clock in the early hours, to say it wasn’t serious enough and could be left.

To say the NHS has deteriorated is an understatement, but to have people accept the neglect that is occurring, this is disgraceful. To actually get a surgery refuse a polite but concerned and knowledgeable carer an email, to refuse a vulnerable older couple care and attention that can escalate to a hospital visit, this is so bad. A hospital admission can mean great anxiety and distress at this age with all the frailty of these clients, to not be able to nip this in the bud, disgusting.

Very concerned, worrying.