Dementia patient ‘came home with coronavirus’
AFAMILY has hit out at a hospital after a dementia sufferer ‘came home to his elderly wife with coronavirus’.
Relatives of David Turner-Swift, 78, of Littleborough, say he was discharged from Fairfield General - before the results of a Covid-19 test taken in hospital were known - and it later showed he had contracted the virus.
His family has now hit out at the hospital saying they had all been put at risk and had been forced to self-isolate.
David, who has dementia and diabetes, was admitted to hospital for the third time in six weeks after suffering from a chest infection and was given a test before leaving.
After being discharged from hospital the army veteran of 25 years had to be helped to bed by his wife Eileen, who is also 78, in remission from cancer and has a heart condition, and his son’s partner, Debbie Sullivan, 63, who is asthmatic.
The family said that the hospital then called to tell Debbie that David had been in contact with someone who had Covid19 had been tested at the hospital, and the test had now come back positive.
Debbie said that neither she or the rest of her family had been informed that David had been in contact with someone with the virus, or that he needed to be tested, before the results were given.
Debbie, who lives in Whitworth, has since been in contact with her partner, David Jr, 58, and her step-daughter.
The trio run a business together selling brake parts for cars, and must now self-isolate.
Grandad-of-11 David ran a security company in Manchester after retiring from the Army. His final rank was RSM Regimental Sergeant Major in the Royal Corps of Transport.
Debbie said: “They sent him home in a pair of cotton pyjamas, he was freezing. They have just kept sending him home even though he’s not well. Now he has been in contact with someone who is Covid positive.
“They could have held him another night - they know he’s going home to his vulnerable 78-year-old wife.
“There’s been no consideration for him and anybody else. I went home, and I am 63 - I’m not a kid. I just think whole thing is appalling.
“I can’t believe they sent him home last night.
“I know the hospital can’t help it - a nurse could be asymptomatic and we’re in difficult times.”
But Debbie said she is shocked that the hospital sent David home before his test results were back.
She added: “To send someone home to his vulnerable wife - they didn’t even tell us. I spoke to the doctors yesterday.
“I am so angry. I would have refused to have him home yet if I’d known he was positive.
“He’s diabetic and he has dementia.”
The family are now hoping David pulls through. He was very sick prior to getting the virus and is unable to walk or even sit up in bed.
David Jnr said: “He is a good man and a good father, recently funding me to start my own business. I have always been very proud of him.”
Tyrone Roberts, director of Nursing and (Interim) Chief Officer at Bury Care Organisation (which runs Fairfield General) said: “We would like to wish Mr TurnerSwift a speedy recovery.
“As a trust, we pride ourselves on our stringent infection, prevention and control measures and patient safety is our priority. Any patients who are admitted to Fairfield General are routinely tested for Covid-19 and continue to be regularly tested when residing as an inpatient.
“All patients are tested on discharge. Communication between patients and families is crucial and if at any point this is found to have broken down, we will investigate fully. We can’t comment any further as we must respect Mr Turner-Swift’s patient confidentiality.”