Mother says NHS failed to provide safe care to daughter
A leading midwife who has led a review into care failings in the NHS has criticized the health service for “failing” to give her daughter safe care.
Donna Ockenden, from Sussex, says her daughter Phoebe, who has epilepsy and was having seizures, was left alone in a chair for seven hours after being taken to hospital by ambulance.
Ms Ockenden led a review of maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust and is currently leading an inquiry into maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Department of Health and Social Care described Phoebe’s treatment as “unacceptable”.
Ms Ockenden said Phoebe started having seizures again after a nine-month hiatus when her medication was changed, and she had three emergency seizures in October.
Ms Ockenden said: “During the first two, I was with him and I was his lawyer. It was still very rubbish.
“But for the third, I was in Dubai on holiday and woke up to messages about Phoebe being in A&E.
“Despite her learning disability and familiarity with the service, she was left alone in the waiting room. She is 20, but she is really frail, and despite having a few seizures she was left in the chair for seven hours. given.
“Initially she was left alone in the waiting area. It’s absolutely inexplicable, it’s absolutely disgusting and outrageous.”
Ms Ockenden also described helping other patients who had been left on trolleys, including an elderly woman asking for water and alerting staff to a confused elderly man who was trying to leave the hospital.
She said: “I am extremely worried about this winter.
“Because I’m Phoebe’s mum, I’m praying with all my heart that she won’t need to go to A&E anymore, but due to her health complications, we’ll be very lucky if we get through the winter without her needing to go in. “
Ms Ockenden did not want to name the hospital involved in her daughter’s care.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Phoebe’s experience is unacceptable and symptomatic of our broken NHS.
“The Chancellor has announced a £22.6 billion investment to get the NHS back on its feet so it can once again be there for all of us when we need it.”
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