Heart of England A&E failings blamed on bed-blocking crisis
“I accept that the agreement needs revising but it is still in place and I have spent money accordingly, some going to those hospitals.
They have taken the money and are now claiming twice. If they persist in claiming for the money, I will have to stop activity somewhere else in social services.”
Mr Hay added: “I think it is sad and regrettable to have a conversation over £1.5million in a city that spends £3.5billion on social care. We are able to do fantastic things when we work together but there are deep-seated parts of the system that do not want to do that.”
Gareth Duggan, spokesman for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We believe we have been invoicing Birmingham City Council appropriately. We are keen to engage with the city council and other key organisations in the broader health economy to ensure that patients are cared for in the most appropriate environment for their health needs.”
* CASE STUDY
Bridget ‘Bridie’ McCallion was only supposed to be in Selly Oak Hospital a few days, but she ended up never leaving.
Birmingham social services failed to sort out care needs for the 86-year-old grandmother, of Camp Hill, when nurses expected her to be discharged.
But as the issue drew on for weeks, Mrs McCallion then became infected with septicaemia, E-coli and Clostridium difficile (C.diff) in the hospital, run by University Hospital Birmingham Foundation Trust and was too ill to go home.
Daughter Catherine McCallion, of Mayfield Road, Tyseley, logged complaints with trust bosses and the Healthcare Commission and said she wishes her mother had never gone into hospital.
“My mother was supposed to be in hospital a few days with breathing problems but social services took so long to address her care needs at home that she then caught infections in hospital,” said Miss McCallion. “She should have come home before Christmas but ended up in hospital over New Year, Mother’s Day and her birthday.
‘‘She even got moved around five wards and some of those transfers were to make way for other patients and not for clinical reasons. The family felt that my mother lost her dignity while trapped in hospital for five months.
‘‘She gave up and died in April 2006. I blame social services and the hospital as they both had a part to play in her death in my eyes.”
In response to complaints, trust bosses wrote to the family apologising, stating that despite social workers agreeing to address care at home and lack of central heating for Mrs McCallion on December 17, 2005, nothing had been done by December 23 when the pensioner was due to be sent home.
In a letter to Mrs McCallion, a trust official said: “The social worker believed it was too early for her to commence the assessment, however this contradicts the trust’s communication to the council on December 21 that said your mother would be ready to leave hospital on December 22.”
“Birmingham City Council adults and communities directorate apologise for the dissatisfaction expressed about its services and share your family’s sadness that your mother never achieved her wish to return home from hospital
“On behalf of the directorate, Mr Gray apologised that his team were unable to have services ready to help your mother leave hospital during the times she was ready to use them.”
Mrs McCallion died in Selly Oak Hospital in April 2006 from mesentric infarction – a lack of blood to the abdomen.
Gareth Duggan, Trust spokesman, said: “The trust cannot comment publicly on the details of Mrs McCallion’s care, but has examined the issue in detail and at length through a series of letters and a meeting with the family.
“Miss McCallion raised a large number of concerns, and the trust takes such concerns very seriously, involving the chief executive in the subsequent review.”
