Trapped in hospital

SIR – There has been a row between MPS and councils over a bed-blocking crisis caused by a failure to have home care in place (report, October 19).

Last week, my 91-year-old father was told that his treatments were no longer working. He agreed to stop them and asked to come home to die.

Average life expectancy in cases like his are around two weeks. His clock started ticking on October 12. On Saturday 14 he was told he would be home on Monday; on Monday he was told Wednesday; on Wednesday this became Thursday; on Thursday, Friday – “hopefully”. Each time we are told that this is because the local council has not yet rubber-stamped the funding forms, and the weekend shutdown is now upon us.

Every day his wife has made a four-hour round trip by bus to hold his hand. He is now, as one would expect, becoming distracted and confused. We had laid in supplies of his favourite treats and spoken to friends who might come and visit. But it seems that the essence of my father will have died in hospital, rather than surrounded by familiar objects and people.

Whoever is to blame, this is not just operationally damaging to hospital services; it is also unspeakably cruel.

Ted Clarkson

Buxton, Derbyshire