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Letter: Care not like the adverts
Monday 1st March 2010, 7:10AM GMT.
Letter: I get so annoyed when the advert by the NHS for “Stroke – Act Fast” appears almost daily on my TV screen. My reasons for this are as follows:
On January 4, 2009, at about 9.30am my wife suffered a stroke. Recognising the symptoms, having had previous experience of people suffering strokes, I immediately phoned for an ambulance. They arrived within five minutes with a paramedic in attendance and confirmed my suspicions, and duly took her to the Princess Royal Hospital.
I followed on by car but due to home commitments it was 11.30am before I arrived only to find her lying on a trolley in a corridor being looked after by an ambulance attendant. It was at least another hour before she was finally moved into the A&E department where she was seen by a doctor.
Mid-afternoon she was sent for an X-ray and, although I had told staff that she was diabetic, they would not allow her anything to keep her sugar at the correct levels.
It was around midnight before they found her a bed and gave her any treatment, the consequence of which was that she suffered another stroke which was to prove, two days later, to be fatal.
Now it may be that if she had received treatment sooner the outcome would have been the same, but I will always think that things might have been different.
What is the point of acting fast if one is faced with these circumstances?
Because of this I feel that the NHS should stop wasting public money unless they are going to improve services, and the Princes Royal Hospital should take note of what the NHS is saying in these adverts.
W Brazier
Donnington
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they would rather waste money on adverts than putting it into the ospitals
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This is a shocking story and my heart goes out to Mr. Brazier.
I think this story speaks volumes about the massive con-trick that is “New Labour”.
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One’s heart goes out to Mr Brazier and to the lack of care that may have contributed to his wife’s demise. Whatever the argument it certainly did not help her condition.
As a result I would seriously consider that if a hospital has a duty of care and fails to provide it resulting in the death of an individual perhaps someone should face a court charged with manslaughter to ascertain from the experts whether or not that death was unlawful and whether the care that was not given has contributed to her death. In other words, they should be put before the court. A prosecution or two might actuaqlly have an effect upon these people.
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Successive governments plough money into a health system that is both antiquated in its approach, strapped for modern resources, negligent in its practice. For the money I pay in contributions to it I could afford to subscribe to BUPA monthly. Another service that is part of Broken Britain which costs a fortune of wasted cash!
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I am very sorry for your loss, what a terrible sequence of events.
I totally agree, more money should be spent on the actually hospitals, on beds and staff instead of on continuous campaigns. Although it is great to allow people to know the symptoms of a stroke they do not need to be bombarded with it at all times, cut back on the advertising and improve the services!
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My husband had a severe stroke in November 2006. I also recognised that this was happening as his face dropped on the left side. This was 4.15am and I immediately phoned for an ambulance. The ambulance took about 30/40 mins to arrive but the first response was there within 10 mins. My husband was taken to hospital (Shrewsbury) and was there by 6.00am. I followed later and arrived about 7.30am. He was also lying on a trolley in casualty and did not receive his CT scan until 9.00am which was far too late for the clot busting drug. He is now disabled and was only 48 when this happened. He is no longer working. What is the point of showing the advert when the medical staff do not respond with the same urgency?
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I am very sorry for your loss Mr Brazier.
I feel sure that your wife will have been assessed on arrival and though you may not be prepared to accept this, the outcome could well have been the same whatever treatment she received.
I agree waiting on a trolley may not seem ideal but she did appear to have a trained person allocated to attend her.
We have a rapidly growing older population and as a direct consequence we have to accept that services are often extremely stretched.
This can seem little consolation when losing a loved one and feeling that you or the NHS has failed them in some way.
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Wrong, eva! We absolutely do not have to accept this. As the population ages, resources must be allocated to changing needs. Why are you trying to tell Mr Brazier he should accept this appalling failure to treat his wife with the proper speed and efficiency? If backsides need to be kicked and a few so-called managers dispensed with to provide enough, properly trained and motivated front-line staff, so be it. This story is shocking.
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Well said Kath (post 8), if the N.H.S. spent more cash on vital issues like nurses and doctors instead of on parasitic managers then the situation would improve but of course this will not happen as it would then be proved that their previous policy was flawed and that would be not in their best interests. The old adage proves too true, too many chiefs and not enough Indians. The health service should be ashamed and brought to book..My sympathy to Mr. Brazier.
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Well, I am ready to accept that we need to pay more to keep up with our aging population and am pragmatic in that I accept that demands on the emergency services are always going to be the hardest to predict in a 24 hour timeframe.
I still think we have a fantastic health service which unforunately is an easy target.
I think Mr Brazier’s wife was being looked after from what I read. People often have a second stroke, some outcomes just cannot be helped.
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Operation successful, patient died. I still say this was an outrageous failure to provide prompt and effective treatment. For goodness sake stop making excuses for it.
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So Eva, what category do you come under?
Qualified nurse/doctor or hospital manager?
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“He was also lying on a trolley in casualty and did not receive his CT scan until 9.00am which was far too late for the clot busting drug. He is now disabled and was only 48 when this happened. ”
I suppose you are going to tell us this is what we should expect to be the outcome for anyone over 48, Eva?
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I pass comment on this subject with the still raw experience of very recent personal bereavement from CVA and other causes. I think grief as a general rule should be kept private unless time dictates otherwise or unless publicising one’s distress is essential. My bereavement happened despite the best care me and my family could ask for. CVAs (or strokes), like many medical conditions, don’t follow simple rules. I am sure Mr Brazier followed the FAST advice. I’m confident the staff dealing with his beloved wife would have only wanted the best for her. No one – me or any other contributor – has the absolute wisdom to say what would’ve made a difference. I can merely offer Mr Brazier my heartfelt thoughts and sympathy. I hope he talks to the hospital in good time and at least gets some answers.
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” I think grief as a general rule should be kept private unless time dictates otherwise or unless publicising one’s distress is essential. ”
And I completely respect your views – about your own situation. However if someone else wants to expose the shortcomings of local health treatment, they are equally entitled to do what seems right to them.
” I’m confident the staff dealing with his beloved wife would have only wanted the best for her. ”
That is probably true – but ‘wanting’ is utterly useless unless accompanied by appropriate action.
Mr Brazier himself says he does not know if his wife’s death could have been averted – but surely we can expect health professionals to at least try! In his place I would be grateful for your good wishes – but would much prefer to know that everything possible had been done.
All I can say is that any nurses or doctors neglecting any family member of mine can expect a large and painful piece of my mind. I have experience of a lackadaisical attitude to a very sick family member, sometimes you have to be extremely assertive. I was, (politely but firmly), and suitable action was taken.
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Kath
I wasn’t planning to start a debate for to do so would be wrong. I was fortunate in that my recent bereavement came about after exemplary care and for us as a family that certainly eased some of the pain. I have had previous bereavements when the care has not been so good and I do appreciate the distress that can cause. With grief the pain is awful and we are told a range of emotions, including anger, will be experienced. Mr Brazier’s anger is completely understandable and he is of course entitled to contact the press. Personally I would have sought answers from the hospital first and contacting a local paper would be a resort only if absolutely necessary. Mr Brazier may yet need to go further with this and as such it would be useful to hold his cards close to his chest. But that’s just my view and in no way a criticism of him at what must be a terrible time.
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