Healthy mum ‘stuck in hospital for weeks’

Kate Hall says she has been told by staff that her mum is among dozens of people in a similar situation in the Kirkcaldy area waiting to get home but are trapped in Victoria Hospital.

Kate’s mum was admitted around five weeks ago with an infection, but was back to normal in a fortnight.

A doctor said she was healthy enough to leave, but she can’t be discharged until a care package is put in place.

Kate said: “She’s losing muscle as she’s just sitting there. She’s on build-up drinks now.

“She’s bored out of her mind. No one is taking her for a walk.

“They’ve put her in a ward with people who have severe dementia, but she doesn’t have dementia.

“She’s quite mobile, but she’s sitting there doing nothing. She’s saying ‘please, just take me home’.

“There are a lot of people waiting on a care package as I spoke to relatives of the other patients.

“I can’t fault the staff on the ward – they’re good – but they’re very busy.

“I was her carer, I don’t know why I can’t continue to do what I was doing.”

Fiona Mckay, head of strategic planning, performance and commissioning at Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said, “The demand on care packages is high.

“We do everything we can to ensure people get home or to a homely setting after being in hospital as soon as possible. Depending on the levels of care required, we may not always have a suitable care package available immediately.

“We endeavour to get care packages in place in a timely way.“