Looking after someone - Coming out of Hospital

@CUK_Membership_Team as per @selinakylie response take a look at our posts on Recovery after hip replacement
(just so folks don’t have to re-type it all here!) especially from @Chris_22081 recent experience and @Tracey_22051 ongoing issues

I applaud the work on developing and publishing these guides of what Should happen and what we Should be aware of - I shared these with @Tracey_22051 . However, even IF we have time, and can Arm ourselves to quote it to doctors, nurses, or others e.g. OT, the reality is low probability of things going smoothly or as per guides. Your 2021 report which highlights multiple issues still stands true today: 'Carers' experiences of hospital discharge: Discharge to Assess model' | Carers UK

As carers have no power to hold people accountable, we can be ignored,
Because the services hospital to community are fragmented we end up being the ones trying to chase & connect information and comms (multiple times)
Often give up complaining because the burden of proof is on us to demonstrate why & how things went wrong, whilst simultaneously we are caring for our loved one who’s been discharged too early.
There is a postcode lottery of good cases. This is why I often highly recommend that friends travel, if possible, to a teaching hospital or centre of excellence hospital for elective surgery. There are no options for a crisis/emergency hospitalisation & discharge.

On a very personal note my Dad, who’s passed, had rheumatoid arthritis and couldn’t pick up the beaker cup easily or cut food to eat easily on his own. Whilst there were issues post bladder transection in terms of his care, it was a VERY difficult line to walk, in terms of complaining and ensuring he was literally fed and watered, We were lucky that an adjacent patient was vocal and shouted at a nurse to properly help Dad. at discharge we just wanted to get him out of there. No point in sharing other numerous issues, or errors in letters.

Should happen and reality are very far apart, unfortunately!

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