Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Cancer patient sent home alone
she got discharged because there was no contact from any of the nursing staff when she was sent home in an ambulance, so there was no one there when she came home.
“The designated family member was working at the time even though they had pre-arranged with their work to get away when needed so someone would be in the house when my sister got home,” he said.
“She lived alone and someone needed to be there to attend to her.
“I have written to the complaints department at Ninewells and spoken to the senior charge nurse. She said she could only apologise.
“I worked in NHS Tayside myself at ward level so I know what should happen.
“Contact with relatives is normal procedure and that was not what was done which is why I’m very angry.
“There was no family at the house to let the paramedics in and they had to wait for someone to come from another part of the city.
“What if it had been a 90-year-old who only had one living relative in the whole world and they were not contacted to say the person had been discharged from hospital?
“I want to know why it happened, how it happened and for it not to happen to any other family.”
A spokesman for NHS Tayside said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Heggie and his family.
“Following Ms Heggie’s discharge from hospital, both the consultant oncologist and senior charge nurse in charge of her care spoke to Mr Heggie and apologised for the distress caused.
“The team will be back in touch with the family to inform them of the outcome of their review.”