East Sussex hospital trust to face legal action

10:40am Sunday 10th February 2013 in News By Siobhan Ryan

Nine families are planning legal action against a hospital trust, saying their relatives have suffered neglect and poor standards of care.

The majority of the cases being drawn up against East Sussex Health- care NHS Trust involve elderly patients.

The cases, being co-ordinated by legal firm Leigh Day and Co, refer to patients being cared for over the last decade.

Two families have already issued High Court writs, with action being taken on the grounds that care was so poor it breached the Human Rights Act.

Senior human rights lawyer for the firm Emma Jones said: “These cases mainly concern elderly patients and cover serious failures of care, includ- ing lack of hydration.

"The families involved are looking for explanations, answers and apologies.”

One of the cases is about cancer patient Patricia Tilbury, who died at the Eastbourne Distric General Hospital in November 2011 at the age of 85.
 

Her sons, Steve and Robin Tilbury, were unhappy with the care she received. They also believe she did not get the nutrition she needed in her last few days and had not been monitored properly.

A spokesman for East Sussex Healthcare, which runs Eastbourne District General Hospital and The Con- quest in St Leonards, confirmed two cases had been referred to the NHS Litigation Authority.

He said: “The trust takes any claim or complaint seriously and ensures that each one is investigated and the learning from the investigation is shared across the whole organisation so services can be continuously improved.

“We continue to strive to improve outcomes and experience for our patients by listening to what they tell us and acting on it.

“In addition we monitor our services against a number of quality indicators and take immediate action if these raise any concerns.

“We are pleased that this has resulted in ongoing improvements in our performance and this is reflected in the comments made by our patients and our regulators.”

 

 

Comments(4)

006 and a third says...
11:09am Sun 10 Feb 13

I know nothing of the specific cases mentioned above in the article and my comments are in no way related to any of the people concerned.

I've seen many examples where grown children seem to have little concern or time for their parents in old age.

Ignoring them and being too busy while the poor folk's health and mental status deteriorates through a lonely existance at home. Eventually these poor people get to the point of needing hospital care and, suddenly, they are being visited every day by the same children they haven't seen for a long time.

The children are shocked at the state of most of them. In their 20 minute daily visits to see mum or dad I think it's guilt that makes them bark at minimum wage healthcare assistants to do more (and make everything OK).

Maybe someone needs to tell them a few home truths when they're acting out, maybe ask them how they could let their parent get into such a state... seeing as they suddenly care so much when some minimum-wage-slaves are trying to pick up the pieces after years of neglect, or is it always someone elses problem?

Report this post »

Brightonian in Germany says...
2:53pm Sun 10 Feb 13

006 and a third wrote:
I know nothing of the specific cases mentioned above in the article and my comments are in no way related to any of the people concerned.

I've seen many examples where grown children seem to have little concern or time for their parents in old age.

Ignoring them and being too busy while the poor folk's health and mental status deteriorates through a lonely existance at home. Eventually these poor people get to the point of needing hospital care and, suddenly, they are being visited every day by the same children they haven't seen for a long time.

The children are shocked at the state of most of them. In their 20 minute daily visits to see mum or dad I think it's guilt that makes them bark at minimum wage healthcare assistants to do more (and make everything OK).

Maybe someone needs to tell them a few home truths when they're acting out, maybe ask them how they could let their parent get into such a state... seeing as they suddenly care so much when some minimum-wage-slaves are trying to pick up the pieces after years of neglect, or is it always someone elses problem?
A very good point of view. If just one person that should read your posting stops & thinks about his aging Parents & what could they themselves do better, then you have achieved a great deal.

Yes A great posting & one I agree with entirely. Nice one 006 & a third.

Report this post »

getThisCoalitionOut says...
5:37pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Maybe the 1st 2 posters might like to think about a lot of people with aging parents nowadays who have full time jobs and children - how are they also meant to spend all day with their parent/s looking after them as well?! It is not possible.

I can well believe the DGH, hosp' in Eastbourne is one of the one's being taken to court as I know that one well and it is understaffed beyond belief - far too many overpaid managers who have reduced the staff who are responsible for looking after patients to breaking point. It isn't possible to feed all patients as there are so many mentally ill one's on wards who can take up to an hour to be fed.

This is where the help is needed - why doesn't the charity "Friends of Eastbourne hospital" which is full of elderly people going into the hospital every day to open and look after two shops, a cafeteria and take a sweet trolley round and books and newspapers - why don't they also feed the patients who need the help? That would make sense to me and is far more essential.

Report this post »

Brightonian in Germany says...
12:01pm Tue 12 Feb 13

@ getThisCoalitionOut, I am well aware of the problem of aging Parents & their siblings working full time.

I live in Germany & here there is the same problem! In a lot of cases the Parents live in the same house or live next door. The situation is somewhat different in England I know. The problems are though the same in both countries. The Social system is so run down that it is not able to that what it is really there for.

As for the Hospitals it is also the same. Far to many overpaid "managers" & not far enough staff to do the work they are supposed to. Caring for the Patients etc.Over burdened with burocratic tasks that should be done by the burocrats!!!

As for the charity Ladies that do the job of running the cafe & sweets & books trolleys, I would say that they are unpaid (that is why it Charitable) & do it to help the Patients. There would be no such services otherwise. As for feeding the Patients that used to be the job of the Nurses but as I mentioned they are chronically understaffed & over burdened with paperwork.

After all is said & done Politics has let the people down by constantly cutting down on staff & giving them more to do in less time & less staff. Thereby letting the "Fatcats" get fatter in cost cutting schemes so that they have a big fat bonus at the end of the year!!

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree