Sorrel Bank Medical Practice
SS
Stephen S. 2 months ago
Bad
Two years ago my mother sadly passed away. Before this happened, we repeatedly tried to arrange a home visit from a doctor because she was too unwell to leave the house. However, because she was not listed on the surgery’s system as “bed bound”, we were unable to get the support and care she needed. This ultimately resulted in her being admitted to hospital, where she later lost her life. I understand my mother was seriously ill, but the lack of compassion, understanding, and support we experienced from the surgery at that time was extremely upsetting. I considered making a formal complaint then but decided against it. Unfortunately, a very similar situation has now happened with my father. Last week he was suffering from pneumonia and again was unable to leave the house, yet we struggled to get the support and care he needed. It feels as though the system and administration process create barriers rather than helping vulnerable elderly patients. The administration team in particular have made my father feel alienated on several occasions. One example was when my mother was still alive and my father attended the surgery to collect a prescription. He was made to wait for around three hours and did not receive it until 4:50pm, leaving him only 10 minutes to get to the chemist before it closed. Situations like this caused unnecessary stress and anxiety for both of my parents. I have also since discovered that my father’s last pneumonia vaccination was in 2011. Again, this raises concerns about administration, communication, and patient follow-up for elderly and vulnerable patients. I appreciate how pressured the NHS is and understand that staff work under difficult conditions. However, basic compassion, communication, and common-sense care should never be overlooked. I would also like to know what the formal complaints process is, because at this stage I believe there needs to be accountability and improvements made so other families do not go through similar experiences.
akani o.