A worried woman has written a diary of despair of her ill friend’s repeated visits to Mayday Hospital.
Sue Wildman decided to make meticulous notes after her friend Trevor Rolfe was continually being admitted to the Thornton Heath hospital.
Mr Rolfe suffers from cerebral palsy and has a stoma - an artificial opening in the abdomen to collect waste - requiring regular visits to hospital.
But Mrs Wildman was concerned about the treatment Mr Rolfe, who lives in Croydon, was receiving and decided to describe the difficulties he faced between February and May this year.
They involve Mr Rolfe, 49, not being showered for days, not given dates for appointments, being taken to the wrong hospital and frequently being admitted with a bleeding stoma.
Mrs Wildman said: “I started to lose track of how many times he had been to hospital.
“He is being sent from pillar to post. The system is letting him down. It’s a disgrace.
“He’s just going round and round. He’s been told he needs to go to St George’s (in Tooting) but gets taken back to Mayday.
“I’m worried he is going to give up. He has had enough.”
A spokeswoman from Mayday Hospital said: “Mr Rolfe remains under the care of several consultants and specialist nurses for ongoing treatment and assessment and they are sorry to learn he is unhappy with his current health and social care.
“If Mr Rolfe would like to discuss his concerns with them they would be happy to meet him and he is welcome to bring a friend or relative to support him if he wishes.”
Diary of Despair
Sunday March 29: “Taken to Mayday hospital by ambulance. Ambulance crew said that they didn’t have time to get to St George’s. Had X-Ray on stoma because it was bleeding and then taken into a side room to have it cauterised. Kept in assessment section of Edgecombe 2. Neighbour said it looked like someone had been murdered because there was so much blood in the flat.”
Wednesday, April 8: “Lou, Na and Sue visited (friends). Trevor had 1st shower since coming in to hospital (29/3). He was helped by member of staff from another ward because no one helped him on his ward. (Trevor has a stoma so he should have a shower once or maybe twice a day).
Friday, April 17: Nurses all having bets as to when Trevor going to return – saying approx 2 weeks.
“Discharge letter says 2 visits (from carer) a day and can be increased or decreased if necessary.
“The letter also requests an out-patients appointment has been requested but does not give a date.
“An appointment for a colonoscopy and a cystoscopy has been booked but no date mentioned.”
Thursday, April 23: “Go to PALS to collect list of admissions and discharges going back to 2005.
“There are many more admissions over the years but it would take the staff a very long time to collate all the information.
“Trevor starting to drink liquid to prepare for test tomorrow;”
Friday, April 24: “Test not done because they said that he had not drunk enough liquid and would have to have double the amount next time “Trevor sent home in the afternoon. Did not get a carer at night.”
Thursday, April 30: “Nurse came out at 4am because Trevor had to change bag 9 times.
“Spoken to Stoma nurses and they are disgusted that Mayday sent Trevor out just after he should have had the test.
“Now got to wait for outpatient’s appt. Nurse going to speak to Mr X and ask him if it can be done as an inpatient at St George’s.”
Friday, May 15: “Had visit from stoma nurse while the doctor’s were around. They have finally realised that Trevor was not making it up.
“They are going to do the test again that they tried to do on his last visit but couldn’t because they said he had not drunk enough of the liquid.
“Stoma nurse took bag off and called sister and the sister called the doctors. They have also taken a swab of the stoma.
“Now given stronger painkillers. Yesterdays shower by student nurse was the first one Trevor had since being in hospital.
“Dr X said this morning in front of sister that he feels bad that Trevor is being pushed from pillar to post and must have all the tests done while he is here.”
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