A family claimed that an elderly man who needed 24-hour nursing care didn’t see a nurse within a week of being released to a hotel in order to make room for Omicron.
Linda Slade’s father was one of 30 patients moved from Southmead Hospital to The Bristol Hotel in January due to staffing shortages.
An NHS spokesman said that all the patients were considered medically well enough to leave hospital but needed 24-hour support, adding that it was ‘urgently reviewing this case to take any necessary action’.
Linda Slade’s father was one of 30 patients moved from Southmead Hospital to The Bristol Hotel in January due to staffing shortages
An NHS spokesman said that all the patients were considered medically well enough to leave hospital but needed 24-hour support, adding that it was ‘urgently reviewing this case to take any necessary action’ (pictured, The Bristol Hotel)
The hotel brokered the contract with them days before Christmas amid high demand for hospital beds and Covid cases.
Abicare is a homecare agency that was hired by The Healthier Together Partnership for a temporary location at the hotel. Staff provided 24-hour care, along with services offered by clinical teams.
Miss Slade’s father was admitted to the hotel in after being treated for a fall and foot infection at Southmead Hospital.
She claimed that the hospital was not in contact with her father’s carers, which she believes were unqualified.
‘The first week there was nothing and the second week my understanding is a physio did come once and a district nurse came once,’ she claimed.
‘He has a stoma bag, they didn’t know anything about stoma bags or what to do.’
Miss Slade’s father was admitted to the hotel in after being treated for a fall and foot infection at Southmead Hospital
She added that once her father’s foot infection had cleared and bandaged, the nurse did not return to re-dress the wound.
An NHS spokesperson in South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and Bristol said that it is sorry about the experience.
‘Even when we’re extremely busy we are absolutely committed to giving people the very best care and will be urgently reviewing this case to take any necessary action,’ they told the BBC.
Anne-Marie Perry, managing director at Abicare, said they ‘work very closely with our NHS partners to provide a safe and quality service’ and insisted that their carers were ‘experienced and fully trained’.
‘Where we identify a need we work closely with the CCG to provide the equipment needed to deliver safe care,’ she added.
‘As there may not be handrails in the hotel alternatives may be sought, such as walking frames or walking sticks.’