Elderly patient sent home in his pyjamas – by boat

● Wife was not informed he was being discharged

A hospital is investigating complaints that it sent an 80-year-old patient home in his pyjamas and slippers on a two-hour boat journey.

Thomas Ranger was discharged after an operation on his foot at Balfour Hospital, Kirkwall, Orkney.

His wife Tracy said he was put in a taxi and driven to the ferry terminal for the crossing to Sanday, the third largest of the Orkney islands.

He was wearing his pyjamas on a cold January day and was without his walking frame.

She had no idea he was being sent home until a friend called to say her husband was also on the ferry and had seen Mr Ranger.

She said she now has “zero confidence” in NHS Orkney and has now asked for an investigation into her husband’s care.

Mrs Ranger said she was distressed to receive a call from a friend last Monday to say that her husband Peter was on the ferry in his pyjamas when she thought he was still in hospital.

Though Mrs Ranger was then able to pick him up from the pier in Sanday, she has since criticised NHS Orkney for a “lack of concern and duty of care”.

“You know, he’s 80 years old and it’s the middle of January,” she said. “We’re in refit, so it’s a two-hour ferry journey. Why would you put someone through that?

“Their duty of care is until he gets home, and honestly, he left their care when they put him in the taxi with no escort, no nothing, without me even knowing he was coming home. It’s just shoddy. It’s disgusting really.”

Mrsrangerhasmadeanofficial complaint to NHS Orkney. She said she would like to see a change in procedure and to be able to have a sit down discussion with staff.

“I don’t know what their guidelines are, but surely the procedure must be that you contact the relative and at least ensure that somebody knows that he is coming home,” she said.

“That must be a fundamental thing, especially with elderly people, but with anybody really. It’s just common sense.

NHS Orkney has confirmed that it is investigating the complaint made by Mrs Ranger.

“I can confirm that a formal complaint has been made and NHS Orkney is investigating,” a spokeswoman said.

“The board will respond directly to the patient and their family.

“I can’t give any other comment given that this process is under way.”