Carer criticises Chesterfield Royal Hospital for 'neglecting' elderly patient who developed sepsis

Carer Louise Degenhart, from Jordanthorpe in Sheffield, has criticised the hospital for ‘neglecting’ her 73-year-old father while he was receiving treatment there.

Colin Degenhart was admitted to Chesterfield Royal at the beginning of May this year, after he developed an unknown infection which had been causing him urinary tract infections and gall bladder problems.

The 73-year-old bowel cancer survivor, contracted Covid-19 in April 2020 but started complaining of the new, unknown infection in October after he came home.

Colin’s infection then developed into sepsis 36 hours after he was discharged from Chesterfield Royal in May according to Louise, who is also disabled and has Mitochondrial Disease.

She claims her father was sent home from the hospital ‘numerous times’ over the past month despite still being in ‘severe pain’ and having developed a small, internal bleed which doctors apparently cannot locate.

Louise said: "He was in for a couple of days in May, the first time and then they sent dad home.

"He stayed at home for 48 hours and I ended up ringing an ambulance because my dad was in so much pain and he couldn't sit up.

"His oxygen levels were low and his pulse was low which are signs of sepsis and he ended up going back in hospital with sepsis."

When Colin was readmitted to Chesterfield Royal, the 38-year-old carer claims staff did not provide her father with ‘proper care’.

Louise said he was left for eight hours with a catheter in and a surgical gown on in preparation for an operation that did not happen.

She added: "I feel like he's been neglected, we've had a complete lack of care which has now made us not trust the hospital that we did trust.”

The carer shared how the ‘constant worry’ about her father’s health has caused her to develop depression and anxiety that required medication.

While Colin is now at home after he was discharged, Louise has shared that he is still in severe pain and his balance, memory and concentration span is ‘a lot worse than normal’.

"I don't feel listened to, Chesterfield Royal say on their posters in and around the hospital that carers are valued, I've been there and this year, they do not value the role of carers at all”, she continued.

A spokesperson for Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We strive to provide exceptional care to all our patients, and so it is always disappointing when we hear that someone feels we fell short of this standard.

"We aim to work in partnership with carers, recognising the enormous value they bring, in terms of understanding the patient and supporting their care and treatment plan.

"We are sorry that Louise, as a carer for her Father, felt let down by us in that regard.

"Our clinical team would welcome the opportunity to talk to Louise and Colin about their recent experiences, so that we can learn and improve.

"We would urge them to give our PALS team a call on 01246 512640 so that we can arrange for that conversation to take place soon.”

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