"Visiting restrictions to elderly patient with delirium"

My elderly mother fell and broke her hip 9 days ago and was taken by ambulance to the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast.

After around 30 hours in A&E she was moved to ward 4B and immediately developed delirium and was very confused. She was so agitated a family member had to stay with her that night as she required constant supervision. The ortho geriatric doctor told me that seeing familiar faces would help with the delirium which would hopefully go away within a few weeks of her surgery.

4 days ago she had hip replacement surgery and again that night my sister was called during the night to come to hospital to try to settle her (which is ok with us as we would rather mum was not agitated and frightened). 

I would add at this point that my mum also has cancer and 6 weeks before this had surgery at Belfast City hospital to remove a tumour. She still had an open (infected) wound from this surgery on her admission to the Royal which required extra care and we had to constantly ask and remind staff about this.

When I visited the hospital this afternoon I was advised mum was being moved to Withers at Musgrave park immediately which is when things went from bad to worse.

I was not permitted to visit as my sister had gone to try to settle her (her 4th change of surroundings in 9 days). My sister was informed that we would be allowed one visit per day of 1 hour and only one of us could visit per day.

It appeared to be news to Musgrave that other hospitals in the Belfast trust permit an afternoon and an evening visit. It was explained that mum was very confused and that my sister and I were her carer's/advocates and that in the circumstances it was felt we should be allowed to visit twice everyday (after all the hospital is happy for us to come up to settle my mum when they are unable to do so). This was denied and we were told we could only have 1 visit per day. My mum is confused and most of the time cannot work out where she is. She is hallucinating, seeing "things" walking up walls and is unable to tell us anything about her care as she can't remember anything.

I have checked the Belfast trust website and the most recent visiting arrangements from June 2022, which include Musgrave Park Hospital, state: "one of 3 nominated visitors can visit twice per day for an hour throughout the patient's stay in hospital."  It goes on to state "The trust will continue to facilitate additional visiting in special circumstances:  for Vulnerable patients - when an advocate is required, and for Older patients - where an advocate is required."

Is this sufficient care for a confused 84 year old hip replacement patient who also has cancer? and though not the fault of the hospital her radiotherapy is now delayed as she is not fit for it.

We are not even being permitted to have the minimum visiting arrangements the Belfast trust has set out in its' own guidelines. It seems very poor to cause more distress to my mum and her family.

There is no merit in us trying to make a point of this in the hospital as we would be seen as disruptive then, leaving us the only option of a complaint - which won't help my mum in the coming days when she needs extra care from us.