Pensioner treatment was drastic - Mole

SENDING an 84-year-old man home from hospital at 2am was a drastic measure according to Ipswich MP Chris Mole.

Mr Mole joined the row after The Evening Star revealed how Raymond Rowe was stunned to be woken and sent home from Ipswich Hospital in his pyjamas at 2am after being admitted to hospital the previous day with chest pains.

Mr Mole said: “I would expect there to be some kind of process when sending older patients home to ensure they will be able to get home carefully and look after themselves.

“I've never heard of anything like this before and would be very interested in the outcome of the hospital inquiry as it doesn't sound at all like the sort of process I would expect.

“I understand there is a need to send people home as quickly as possible but this is a bit drastic.”

Mr Rowe of Robin Drive was taken to hospital on Monday February 12 with chest pains and after blood tests his family were told to expect him home the following day.

But, as revealed in The Evening Star on Saturday, Mr Rowe was woken by hospital staff at 1.45am and told a cab had been called to take him home to his wife Joan, also 84.

Mr Rowe's son Trevor said they had written to the hospital to complain last Wednesday, but have yet to receive and acknowledgement.

He said: “I think any apology we get will be a shallow apology anyway because of the situation the NHS is in because of bed shortages and being busy.

“However, I'd like to think they will recognise it was not the right thing to do. I hope it highlights what goes on and ask if it happens on a regular basis.”

The hospital apologised through the Star, but health campaigners have expressed further concern.

Jack Thain, chairman of the Suffolk Pensioners Association said: “I'm absolutely appalled. It's not the type of treatment we would expect from a national institution like the NHS.”