Hi All,
I'm another newcomer hoping someone can give me some advice on dealing with communication problems between hospital staff and myself.
The background is that my dad (69) is in hospital and has been for 6 weeks following a seizure. He has now been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia. It has taken some prodding from me to get this diagnosis - they were reluctant initially to consider he had any problems beyond 'liking a drink'! This being because they think the seizure was related to him drinking too much which I now think is related to him having dementia and not realising how much he was drinking! Anyway, I digress. I have had a difficult relationship with the ward since day 1 - I have already spoken to them on 3 occasions to say I don't feel they are communicating as much as they should with me and have spoken to PALS. I thought I'd reached a point where they were telling me everything I needed to know. Wrong...
During Friday's visit, the doctor happened to stop by and say at the MDT meeting the previous day dad had agreed to respite...WHAT MDT MEETING???!! Which brings me to my current problem - do I have a right to be involved in these meetings regarding my dad's care? And if so, who do you think is the best person to give hell to now to ensure they involve me in future?! My understanding is my dad doesn't have capacity to make decisions himself - surely Social Services don't have more of a right than me to make decisions on his behalf? To clarify, I do agree with the decision made this time - for dad to be transferred to an EMI unit for 6 weeks initially - but feel as they haven't involved me in arriving at this decision, they aren't going to involve me in deciding where he goes.
Advice would be hugely appreciated
I'm another newcomer hoping someone can give me some advice on dealing with communication problems between hospital staff and myself.
The background is that my dad (69) is in hospital and has been for 6 weeks following a seizure. He has now been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia. It has taken some prodding from me to get this diagnosis - they were reluctant initially to consider he had any problems beyond 'liking a drink'! This being because they think the seizure was related to him drinking too much which I now think is related to him having dementia and not realising how much he was drinking! Anyway, I digress. I have had a difficult relationship with the ward since day 1 - I have already spoken to them on 3 occasions to say I don't feel they are communicating as much as they should with me and have spoken to PALS. I thought I'd reached a point where they were telling me everything I needed to know. Wrong...
During Friday's visit, the doctor happened to stop by and say at the MDT meeting the previous day dad had agreed to respite...WHAT MDT MEETING???!! Which brings me to my current problem - do I have a right to be involved in these meetings regarding my dad's care? And if so, who do you think is the best person to give hell to now to ensure they involve me in future?! My understanding is my dad doesn't have capacity to make decisions himself - surely Social Services don't have more of a right than me to make decisions on his behalf? To clarify, I do agree with the decision made this time - for dad to be transferred to an EMI unit for 6 weeks initially - but feel as they haven't involved me in arriving at this decision, they aren't going to involve me in deciding where he goes.
Advice would be hugely appreciated