"Fantastic service"

My father is in his 80s, had suffered Alzheimers for several years and became unwell with a chest infection, oral thrush and dehydration having stopped eating. As a family we were keen that he didn't go back into hospital knowing he was very frail, his quality of life had become quite poor and an admission may destabilise him further in a way he might find distressing.

We were however very glad of the opportunity to see if any of his deterioration could be reversed further interventions that the GP was unable to provide. The Hospital at Home team was brought in and within 24 hours we had a hospital bed and other equipment, assessments from physio and OT, twice daily visits from the nursing team and input from the medical team to provide him with a trial of intravenous fluids and antibiotics. 

After a couple of days, it was clear that despite treatment, he was deteriorating and approaching the end of his life. The team very sensitively communicated this to us and his care was smoothly handed back to the GP practice and primary care team who took on his end of life care. 

We were so grateful that he could then die peacefully, at home surrounded by his family. It was hugely important for our family to know that treatments that might have given him a reasonable chance to get better were tried. That was of great comfort especially to my mother, his wife of 60 years at the hardest of times.

We want the whole Longhouse surgery team and the Lothian Hospital at Home team to know how appreciative we are of the care they provided. 

The health service is under huge pressures. This kind of initiative is exactly the way care should be given when possible. It was seamlessly joined up with the primary care service and delivered by professional and compassionate staff with the best interests of the patient at its heart.

Thank you.