"Lack of joined up care"

Recently my daughter, wife and mother of 3 young children who works 2 jobs, fell which resulted in a prolapsed disc  with bulging areas pressing on her nerve causing extreme pain.

Following assessment  at Hairmyres University Hospital A&E and when a bed was available she was transferred to Wishaw University Hospital Trauma ward. Alas nothing could be done other than sedate her with high levels of addictive medication for 10 days. Decision was discharge to community with reassurance that support would be in place. With instruction to get a bed from somewhere placed downstairs as she couldn’t  manage steps. Self care was to be performed at the kitchen sink! No suggestions how this could happen when she required an armpit equipment to stand.  

After 5 days no support was in place, after several calls it appears referral for services were sent 5 days after she was discharged. This was the same for referral to specialist services at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 

It wasn’t long before it became evident that her condition was deteriorating, so as instructed she visited her GP with great difficulty. The GP arranged for her to return to Wishaw UH where it was confirmed by scan that her condition had deteriorated. Unfortunately, due to the level of pain she was in, there was very little that Physio’s could offer so she was ‘pain managed’ with even more very addictive drugs. A hope was offered as an appointment had been received at outpatients in the QEUH, decision was that she would attend this with family members as the Medical assessment suggested surgery was a potential outcome. We held onto this hope.

On the morning of the appointment WishawUH informed my daughter she was being discharged as she was now in the care of QEUH; if, however, she wasn’t admitted she would need to re-present  herself through A&E.

Off we went to QEUH, unfortunately no surgery or admission and told that she was not under the care of QEUH, it was Wishaw UH or her GP. Similarly access to physio was community - however no one did a referral.

Meantime, she is still on copious amount of addictive medicines which at this time is an issue with her GP/local pharmacist. Again after her husband phoned who confirmed they had no referral, although she has now had a visit from physios and OT, Physio couldn’t do anything as my daughter was in too much pain. There are no options for creating an appropriate washing environment and any thought of using her shower which is upstairs requires a new stair bannister fitted, which we need to do.

My story is about where is the care?  Is this care? No one is coordinating any aspect of care physical or emotional.