A NELSON man is outraged after he wasn’t told his father was in an East Lancashire hospital until five days later.
Alfred Robinson (82) was admitted to the Royal Blackburn Hospital on a Thursday afternoon but neither his son Michael or daughter Lesley, who is next of kin, were told until the following Monday.
Michael, who regularly drops in to check on his father, was working away in Yorkshire at the time this happened just before Christmas while his sister Lesley usually calls round every Sunday.
However, Alfred, who is a diabetic, had gone shopping to Morrisons and, on his way back, had fallen over and banged his head. He was taken in to the Seventy Bob Barbers to wait for an ambulance and was kept in for eight days on a precautionary basis while his glucose levels settled.
When the children couldn’t raise him at home or at the day care centre he attends in Colne every Monday, a frantic call was put in to the hospital who said he had been there for five days.
Michael said: “I told the hospital it was nice of them to let us know. Lesley is next of kin and should have been told. My dad was beginning to wonder why nobody had been to visit him.”
Alfred has just moved back into his flat in Newfield Drive after spending three weeks in another Housing Pendle property in Swinden Hall Road.
Michael added: “My dad has a mobility scooter and was fine at the other place as he could get to the door with it. He can’t get it down the path here. All it needs is for two concrete slabs moving and he would be fine.
“We’ve been waiting for an occupational therapist to do an assessment since October. I don’t think any of this would have happened if he’d been able to use his scooter. He’s a bit unsteady on his legs.”
Lynn Wissett, Chief Nurse for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I am really concerned to hear of the family’s experience while Mr Robinson was in our care and would urge the family to contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss the issues raised.”
Ian Clark, Housing Pendle’s Executive Director, said: “We are extremely sorry to hear about Mr Robinson’s accident and hope he makes a speedy recovery.
“We are aware of Mr Robinson’s needs, but due to circumstances beyond our control we’ve not been able to see him.
“But we are due to meet him next week to make a full assessment of his living requirements. As always, we will do our utmost to make people happier in their homes.”