Son’s anger as dad discharged from hospital despite having coronavirus

A MAN from Derby was left furious that his vulnerable father was to be discharged from hospital despite having coronavirus.

Sean Conway, of Alvaston, was admitted to Royal Derby Hospital on December 25 after struggling with lung issues.

Following 16 days on one of its wards, he tested positive for Covid-19. Only three days later, doctors were willing to discharge the 64-year-old from their care because he was not showing symptoms, according to son Brendan.

This was despite him registering as vulnerable due to suffering from chronic inflammatory lung disease.

Brendan, 34, said he was shocked hospital staff were happy to release him back home knowing he was at risk and could pass on the virus to others in his household and the wider community.

He said: “I spoke to a doctor at length about my concerns that they were going to release somebody that had Covid, especially when he caught it on a hospital ward.

“I thought the decision could take the virus from the hospital back into the community where there’s the potential to put many lives at risk.

“They told him to isolate but you still have to get from A to B, and my family would have to closely watch my dad because he struggles with issues that mean he could potentially not know what he’s doing and just wander off out the house.

“It was very stressful, and we were really worried for his safety and for those around him.”

Before Sean could be discharged from the hospital, though, his symptoms became more severe and he was told to stay in care to receive treatment.

For Brendan, this ordeal was a close call for his father and his family, but he said he was worried others across the county would be released back into the community far too soon. Health officials were criticised for releasing Covid-positive patients into care homes last year, which triggered outbreaks of the virus within vulnerable groups. Brendan now fears hospitals’ willingness to once again discharge those with coronavirus could provide a “carbon copy” of past issues.

He said: “I told the doctor this reminded me of the care home fiasco they had at the beginning of the pandemic when they were sending Covid patients out into care homes. “That obviously caused a big, big outcry and I just want to make sure that there aren’t similar issues again.

“It worries me that they’re quite apt to release people from the hospital who are Covid positive and could affect people in the community.”

I spoke to a doctor at length about my concerns that they were going to release somebody that had Covid... Brendan Conway