A visit to a lady with a sense of humour

On Wednesday 21 September all four of us jumped in the car and trundled up to London to visit an elderly relative currently in care in a very well maintained facility. She is gentle, frail, longsuffering, alert and has a great sense of humour.

The story of how she arrived at that facility is a statement about the inadequacy of the NHS. In December, at the age of 91, she was taken to hospital following a mishap. To this point she had lived independently in her own flat and although frail was managing with the care and support of a younger relative of whom the hospital was well aware and was interested in being involved in the discharge plan.

However, the staff at this hospital, which is one of London's larger and better known hospitals decided that she was senile when she didn't respond to them shouting at her. This lady is exceedingly deaf, a problem only moderately helped by hearing aids. The outcome of this situation was that she was sent home one night in a taxi, in her nightwear and dumped on the footpath. Had it not been for the generosity of a passerby who carried her up to her flat, the outcome might have been dire.

Subsequently arrangements were made for her to move into her current placement which she recognises as appropriate to her needs.

All correspondence with the hospital have been met with silence or stonewalling.