Ellen G

Review of Hounslow and Richmond Communit...

I looked after my mother during the last years of ...

I looked after my mother during the last years of her life. For most of that time, the district nurses were helpful and supportive. In April 2020, one who had no realistic idea of mum s frailty did a procedure that resulted in excruciating pain (it was the first time in 65 years that I saw my mum cry), and an infection. The nurse rang and I reported that mum was in severe pain. She responded that s fine . I repeated what I said. Slowly. Clearly. Her response did not change. I told her that I didn t think it was fine and would submit a complaint. A nurse who rang the next day sounded more concerned but said that pain was normal. All we had was paracetamol. We felt totally helpless.

As I found out later when I wanted to know what they had written in their notes, I saw neither had recorded the pain. I also discovered that nurse 1 had decided that my complaint should be dealt with using a safeguarding enquiry. And by portraying me as a hysteric. Very 1950s. That begun three days before my mum s death, helped by a sibling with a psychological disorder who provided some choice untruths to help the case.

The trust issued an apology, but the nurse got away with her unprofessional behaviour. I think we deserve better. I did not deserve the character assassination that some of the nurses used to help cover up the failure to relieve mum s suffering.

Other nurses were fab.