Patient's treatment was unacceptable

IPSWICH Hospital's investigation into why an elderly man was discharged at 2am in his nightclothes has today described his treatment as “totally unacceptable”.

Relatives of Raymond Rowe, 84, complained to officials at the Heath Road hospital after he was sent home in a cab in his pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers. His plight was highlighted by The Evening Star in February.

An investigation was launched and the report has today been seen in full by the Star, but the hospital could not offer an explanation as to what went wrong.

It said: “The documentation regarding the discharge process of Mr Rowe is unfortunately scant.

“We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Mr Rowe that he was not consulted with regard to his untimely discharge, and for any distress and anxiety this caused to him and his family.

“While Mr Rowe's discharge occurred at a time when the hospital was under severe pressure with a large number of emergency admissions and lack of beds, it was totally unacceptable that Mr Rowe was sent home at 2am and in his nightclothes, for which we can unfortunately offer no explanation.”

Mr Rowe's son, Trevor Rowe, of Chapel Field, Bramford, said: “Most of what is in the report I already know.

“It apologises, which is what the family wanted.

“I've shown it to my father and he is reasonably happy with it, but then he is a man who doesn't like to make a fuss, which is why he allowed this to happen in the first place.

“The hospital says if I'm not satisfied I can go for a meeting but I'm still undecided whether to take the offer up.”

An accompanying letter was sent to Trevor Rowe by the hospital's chief executive Andrew Reed.

It said: “Sadly we cannot change your experience of the care which we provided to your father but we are determined that we will, as a result, improve our service provision.”

The report said action has been taken to ensure patients are kept aware of their discharge plans, and progress will be checked on a weekly basis.

It said it was planned to send Mr Rowe home earlier but there was an unexplained delay between when his blood test results were computer logged, at 8pm, and when they were checked.

N Have you been disappointed by care at Ipswich Hospital? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

MR ROWE'S story.

In February Mr Rowe of Robin Drive went to hospital with chest pains. He had had a stroke and heart bypass eight years ago.

After being admitted to Ipswich Hospital to carry out some tests he was told he would probably released later that day.

However at around 2am the following morning, Mr Rowe was woken by nursing staff to tell him that his test results had come back and he could go home.

He was sent home to his 84-year-old wife in his pyjamas, sharing a taxi with a stranger.