Discharge plan for a brother with autism after cervical neck surgery
We had many issues with the NHS staff, so we asked for a multidisciplinary team where all the different professionals were from the same hospital.
During the meeting, the hospital stated that they would provide one carer three times a day, district nurses for his catheter care, incontinence support, and basic home equipment, such as a walking frame and toilet rails. We accept the nurse and equipment support, but we formally object to the 1 carer package as unsafe based on clear medical and physical reasons from our understanding. My brother is quite tall and overweight.
Our concerns were:
What actually happens on the ward-
Most of the time on the ward, moving him or taking him to the toilet takes two people. That is either my mum and me helping a nurse, or two nurses working together. A single carer is not enough.
His medical setbacks changed things-
He fainted on the 8th of August and had a chest infection with IV antibiotics on the 10th of August. Any safety check done before those dates does not show his real strength today.
The physiotherapists and the neurosurgical junior doctor said he has been getting his strength back, and he was able to get up from the bed and get to the toilet with one person a few times, so it showed he can do it at home.
When I spoke to his previous ward staff and people in management, I found out they were writing that it has been one person helping and my brother using his zima frame. But, they didn't write in his records that my mum and I or another healthcare assistant were helping most of the time.
We had some trust issues after finding out they were trying to push us out without even telling how his home care would look like..
Also, my mum has severe low back issues and balance issues so we told them I don't want the carer to ask my mum for any physical movement support.
My brother has moderate autism with a few diagnosed mental health issues.
Just wanted to see if those arrangements are okay or if the ones they provided are less?