Elderly Woman Discharged to Wrong Address by Hospital
An elderly woman from Sleaford, Lincolnshire, spent a traumatic night in an unfamiliar bed due to a blunder at a local hospital. Joyce Wright, aged 83, was erroneously discharged from Boston Pilgrim Hospital and sent to a stranger's home in Skegness.
Wrong Discharge
Ms. Wright had been admitted to the hospital's A&E after a fall at her house on September 18th. She received multiple X-rays that all returned clear results. Despite her ongoing pain, which was also compounded by her bowel cancer, Ms. Wright was moved to the discharge ward the following day. When her son, Andy, checked in on her later that evening, he was informed that his mother was not fit for discharge due to her continued discomfort.
Mistaken Discharge
Contrary to this advice, Ms. Wright was incorrectly discharged and transported by ambulance to a stranger's house in Skegness. Left alone and disorientated by pain medication, she unknowingly spent the night in the unfamiliar bed. The hospital ward phoned Andy the next morning to apologise for the error, while an ambulance returned Ms. Wright to the hospital.
"I was just making myself a cup of coffee on Wednesday morning when the ward rang and said they'd like to apologise as they'd discharged my mum to the wrong address," Andy explained.
Reacting to the Shock
Plagued by a sense of disbelief, Andy attempted to comprehend the gravity of the situation when he was finally able to talk to his mother. "When my mum told me she'd slept in someone else's bed I just couldn't believe what she was telling me. I couldn't quite believe it until I actually got to a hospital and heard it from a nurse," he revealed.
Further Implications
The hospital confirmed that the erroneous discharge was the result of a mistake; the patient slated for discharge was in the bed next to Ms. Wright. In the aftermath, Ms. Wright is receiving rehabilitation in a Spalding hospital and is said to be in "good spirits." However, the grave mishap prompted a call for a comprehensive investigation from Sleaford and North Hykeham's Conservative MP, Caroline Johnson.
Hospital Reaction
"We have spoken with both patients and their families to offer our heartfelt and sincere apologies. This incident clearly falls below the standard of care we want to deliver, and a full review is underway to ensure it does not happen again," said Michelle Harris, Chief Operating Officer at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, and Joy Weldin, Divisional Director of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services at East Midlands Ambulance Service.