🧵 The NHS is Broken. Vulnerable Patients Are Being Left to Rot Until Someone Kicks Off
1/ Five years ago, my mother in law was diagnosed with dementia.
It is a cruel, degenerative disease. Over time, it strips away memory, independence, and eventually even the ability to move.
1/ Five years ago, my mother in law was diagnosed with dementia.
It is a cruel, degenerative disease. Over time, it strips away memory, independence, and eventually even the ability to move.
2/ Before the COVID Scamdemic, we made the decision to keep her at home rather than put her in a care facility.
We have managed her care as a family, ensuring she had dignity and comfort.
We have managed her care as a family, ensuring she had dignity and comfort.
3/ We never relied on the NHS. For years, we handled everything privately with four home care visits a day plus daily visits from my wife, her sister, and her brother.
4/ Dementia progresses in stages. In the early years, she could still move, communicate, and engage. But over time, the disease takes everything.
Forgetting how to move is part of the latter stages.
Forgetting how to move is part of the latter stages.
5/ On Tuesday, we reached that stage. My mother in law was found at home completely immobile.
She had forgotten how to move and walk. It was time for urgent care.
She had forgotten how to move and walk. It was time for urgent care.
6/ She was taken by ambulance to A&E at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
What happened next was beyond unacceptable.
What happened next was beyond unacceptable.
7/ For over 48 hours, she was left on a trolley in a corridor. She was not washed. She was not assessed. She was not changed despite being partially incontinent. She was not given her full medication.
8/ The NHS provided food and water but left it at the bottom of the bed.
She is immobile. She could not reach it.
When my wife or family were not there, she received nothing.
She is immobile. She could not reach it.
When my wife or family were not there, she received nothing.
9/ Two days passed. My wife, her sister, and her brother were distraught.
This was not a one off mistake.
The hospital was full of patients suffering the same neglect. Frail, elderly, and vulnerable people left to rot in corridors, waiting for help that never arrived.
This was not a one off mistake.
The hospital was full of patients suffering the same neglect. Frail, elderly, and vulnerable people left to rot in corridors, waiting for help that never arrived.
10/ Yesterday Wednesday, they finally gave her some medication but only a third of what she needed.
The rest had been ordered but had not arrived.
The rest had been ordered but had not arrived.
11/ Even worse, they tried to give her Edoxaban, even though she takes aspirin every day.
12/ My wife, a qualified nurse, immediately stopped them. She knew this was dangerous.
13/ This is basic medical safety.
Edoxaban is a blood thinner. So is aspirin.
Taking them together massively increases the risk of life threatening internal bleeding, brain haemorrhage, and stroke.
Edoxaban is a blood thinner. So is aspirin.
Taking them together massively increases the risk of life threatening internal bleeding, brain haemorrhage, and stroke.
14/ No competent doctor should have prescribed this combination without checking. It could have killed her.
15/ When we asked to see what medication had been dispensed earlier that day, the hospital staff said:
"As it was the afternoon, the drug records from the morning could no longer be viewed."
"As it was the afternoon, the drug records from the morning could no longer be viewed."
16/ Excuse me? How can a hospital be unable to check what medication was given to a vulnerable patient just a few hours earlier?
17/ This is a major patient safety failure.
If medical records disappear within hours, how many patients are receiving incorrect medication with no accountability?
If medical records disappear within hours, how many patients are receiving incorrect medication with no accountability?
18/ Then today Thursday, everything changed.
After 48 hours of neglect, I went to the hospital myself. I asked to speak to the Nursing Manager.
I introduced myself as the Reform UK Chair for this constituency. I made it very clear that this was unacceptable.
After 48 hours of neglect, I went to the hospital myself. I asked to speak to the Nursing Manager.
I introduced myself as the Reform UK Chair for this constituency. I made it very clear that this was unacceptable.
19/ Within MINUTES, everything magically arrived.
A bed was suddenly available. She was washed, changed, assessed, and given all of her medication. Food and water were provided properly.
A bed was suddenly available. She was washed, changed, assessed, and given all of her medication. Food and water were provided properly.
20/ Everything they had ignored for TWO DAYS suddenly happened instantly.
21/ HOW? WHY? If there were no beds available, where did this one suddenly come from?
If there was no time to assess her, how did they do it immediately after I complained?
If there was no staff to help, why did everything happen the moment I raised my voice?
If there was no time to assess her, how did they do it immediately after I complained?
If there was no staff to help, why did everything happen the moment I raised my voice?
22/ This is not about my mother in law. This is about everyone else who does not have someone to fight for them.
How many people are lying in corridors right now, suffering in silence because they have no one to demand action?
How many people are lying in corridors right now, suffering in silence because they have no one to demand action?
23/ This is not a funding issue. This is medical negligence.
The NHS is failing at the most basic level.
Vulnerable patients are being neglected, and when they finally receive care, they are given dangerous medication errors.
The NHS is failing at the most basic level.
Vulnerable patients are being neglected, and when they finally receive care, they are given dangerous medication errors.
24/ If I had not stepped in, how many more hours or days would my mother in law have been left like this?
What happens to the patients who have no one fighting for them?
What happens to the patients who have no one fighting for them?
25/ The NHS does not respond to need. It responds to pressure. And if you do not have someone shouting for you, you are left to suffer.
26/ We need real answers from Countess of Chester Hospital and from the entire NHS.
•Why is care being withheld unless you complain?
•Why are drug records disappearing?
•Why was a life threatening prescription error made?
•Why is care being withheld unless you complain?
•Why are drug records disappearing?
•Why was a life threatening prescription error made?
27/ If you live in Chester North and Neston or Ellesmere Port and Bromborough and have had a similar experience, reply to this thread or contact me directly at chair.chesternorthellesmere@reformuk.com.
28/ I am going to do everything in my power to stop this from happening to other vulnerable people.
29/ It is an utter disgrace.
We would not treat a sick dog this way.
Why is this happening to our elderly and vulnerable?
We would not treat a sick dog this way.
Why is this happening to our elderly and vulnerable?
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