Blackburn with Darwen Council and Royal Blackburn Hospital have responded to a man worried about his wife being discharged from hospital "too early".
Jacqueline Boardman, 80, was rushed to A&E on Monday, August 21, after her husband, Francis Boardman, 74, said she became very unwell, and has raised concerns now it is being suggested she go home almost three weeks later.
The staff discovered Jacqueline’s platelet count in her blood was too low, so she received a platelet transfusion and has been in the hospital since.
Francis said: “They’ve infused her with platelets but they’ve dropped to minimum levels again.
"This has been going on for two weeks now, almost every other day.
"I can’t be responsible for her low levels and if they drop any lower then it’s very serious.”
Francis says social services are pushing for Jacqueline to come home, despite him explaining that he can’t care for his wife “when she is so ill and needs to stay in the hospital”.
Blackburn with Darwen Council said it can't comment on individual cases but assured it is “wholly committed to supporting residents to return home as soon as they are clinically assessed as no longer needing acute hospital care and are well enough for discharge.”
A council spokesperson said: “Our Adult Social Care teams will work closely with the individual, their family and our health professional colleagues to ensure that – at the right time – the person is enabled to leave hospital and regain their independence either at home or within an appropriate rehabilitation setting.
“An assessment of the individual’s needs is undertaken which helps determine the type of support, care, treatment and therapy that each resident requires on discharge from hospital, with further assessments taking place as required following that discharge.”
Chief Nurse at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Peter Murphy, said: “We know that being at home, in familiar surroundings is the best place for patients to be when they are medically well enough but still recovering and our teams work hard every day to help that happen.
“Patients are only discharged when they are assessed as medically fit enough and even after that we ensure the right support is in place, with a health and social care plan that is personalised to their individual needs.
“We work closely with community health and social care teams to do this and ensure that patients return home safely and are supported for as long as is needed.
“We would be happy to meet with Mr Boardman to talk through a personalised care plan so he can be assured that he and his wife will be supported at every stage of her recovery.”
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