Blackburn patient sent home by taxi in his pyjamas
7:00pm Monday 1st October 2012 in News
By Catherine Pye, Health reporter
Neil McGregor was given pyjamas and asked to make his way to the taxi collection area outside the hospital entrance
A DISABLED man has hit out at the Royal Blackburn Hospital after he was sent home in a taxi wearing only pyjamas.
Neil McGregor, 50, suffered an epileptic fit in bed at his sheltered accommodation in Crosby Road, Blackburn, but managed to press an alert button.
He said he was unable to take anything with him to hospital after passing out before paramedics could arrive.
He was changed into a dressing gown on arrival at the A&E department last Sunday, and was discharged from the medical assessment unit just before 1pm on Monday after undergoing tests.
He said he was given pyjamas, and then asked to make his way to the taxi collection area outside the hospital’s main entrance.
He was unable to contact any friends, or family, for help as their contact numbers were at his house.
Mr McGregor, a father-of-one, said: “I couldn’t believe that I was expected to wait for a taxi in reception, wearing just pyjamas.
“I asked a nurse if she could sort it out for the taxi to come to the ambulance drop-off at A&E, which is a bit more private, which she did.
“Then when I got home, I had to go into the house to get my money out. I asked the taxi driver to come to the house with me, so I wouldn’t have to go outside again in the pyjamas in front of all of the street in the middle of the day.
“Whenever anything like this has happened before, I’ve always been able to get patient transport home, which has been a lot more dignified. It’s bad enough this has happened to me, but I’d hate to think that a woman was put in that position.”
Lynn Wissett, deputy chief exe-cutive of East Lancashire Hosp-itals NHS Trust, said: “Hospital transport is only provided for those patients whose mobility, or medical condition, makes it diff-icult, or impossible, for them to use private, or public, transport.
“A patient’s eligibility for pat-ient transport is determined by a healthcare professional using a set of criteria provided by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
“Those who do not have a gen-uine need for non-emergency patient transport are advised on what other means are available to them, such as public transport.
“The Trust aims to ensure the privacy and dignity of all our patients.
“In circumstances where pat-ients are admitted to A&E with-out personal belongings and subsequently discharged, staff make every effort to maintain patient dignity through use of gowns, pyjamas and blankets.”
Comments(24)
2 for 5p
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7:18pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Lynn Wissett, deputy chief exe-cutive of East Lancashire Hosp-itals NHS Trust, said: “Hospital transport is only provided for those patients whose mobility, or medical condition, makes it diff-icult, or impossible, for them to use private, or public, transport.
There it is in black and white rules are rules.
wrigglers
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7:42pm Mon 1 Oct 12
jimpy0
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7:43pm Mon 1 Oct 12
wrigglers
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7:45pm Mon 1 Oct 12
sagems
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7:58pm Mon 1 Oct 12
isitrightthat
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8:06pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Did he want the hospital to kit him out ? Or as mentioned earlier someone to go to his house ? Certainly not a nurses job to do that .
If he got an ambulance he would have been part of a multi drop off service so a taxi was a good option.
Hell people go to the shops in pyjamas and dressing gowns nowadays .
accy lad and proud
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9:57pm Mon 1 Oct 12
dougsie
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10:02pm Mon 1 Oct 12
jellybiff
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10:03pm Mon 1 Oct 12
M.DANNY
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10:05pm Mon 1 Oct 12
davemcb
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10:16pm Mon 1 Oct 12
powerpop
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10:27pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Blackburn patient made to stand in street in his pyjamas for photo shoot.
Rimbus
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10:28pm Mon 1 Oct 12
accy lad and proud wrote:It's not just Blackburn pal. I drive through Ribbleton (suburb of Preston) each day on my way to work and regularly see young girls who must have pupped within weeks of reaching puberty pushing prams (usually with a can of Stella in the cup-holder) whilst accompanying their brood to school. The attire of choice is Primani checked PJ's with a pair of fake Ugg boots and a hoodie of some description. I can only assume that it save's time when they get back home when they can get straight back in the sack without missing any of the day's cultural offerings on the Jeremy Kyle show.
Don't think he'd look out of place in P.J'S in Blackburn ! Is it not standard dress these days ?
thequietone
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10:58pm Mon 1 Oct 12
HarryBosch
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11:00pm Mon 1 Oct 12
HarryBosch
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11:03pm Mon 1 Oct 12
burner
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11:21pm Mon 1 Oct 12
A Darener
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8:21am Tue 2 Oct 12
ghanto
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8:48am Tue 2 Oct 12
GIVE HIM COMPENSATION AND HE WILL BE O.K
mavrick
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9:00am Tue 2 Oct 12
ghanto
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9:12am Tue 2 Oct 12
GIVE HIM COMPENSATION AND HE WILL BE O.K
ladysal
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1:24pm Tue 2 Oct 12
mavrick wrote:Not entirely sure what you are trying to say.
The selfish attitudes shown on here typify the judgemental me first society. The whole of the welfare system in this country is slowly being dismantled.This story is just the tip of the iceberg. It seems the Royal Blackburn is always in the news for the wrong reasons. I think it is time Lynn Wisset considered her position along with several other senior managers. It would seem the hospital stumbles from crisis to crisis, The welfare system in this country is worth fighting for, despite the small minded bigotry regarding people on benefits. I hope those who are lucky enough to have a well paid job realise that not everyone on benefits is a lead swinging dosser. there by the grace of the accountants go you.
No one on these comments has said anything about benefits.
Whilst I am aware that the Royal Balckburn and the NHS in general do have issues which need to be resolved, I'm with the vast majority who are having difficulty working out what he has to complain about.
Yes, he had to come home in his pyjamas. So? Are you / him seriously saying that the NHS should provide him with day clothes?
Patient transport has always been meant ONLY for people who are not able to travel on public transport / in car belonging to a relative. Why is he entitled to something different?
Others have said that there is a system for vulnerable people to ensure that medication / cash / clothes are taken to hospital with them by paramedics if required: why isn't he using it?
If he had been thrown out with no transport at 3am on a night where temperatures were several degrees below zero, then yes he may have a point, but he wasn't was he?
Fire Fly
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10:54am Wed 3 Oct 12
BUT the story does highlight something that our medical professionals forget...when patients go into hospital, regardless of it being planned or as an emergency, people become very vulnerable. You're prodded & poked at, asked to wear gowns that don't afford you much privacy & of course, you are probably quite worried & anxious...you basically have very little say in whats going on & it can be a really frightening & intimidating experience. Your clothing or nightgown are real protectors for people in this situation because as daft as it sounds, they help you feel safe & at ease.
Patients are an every day occurrence for Doctors & Nurses but for us as patients, it's not. We are still people & they need to remember that, we're not simply defined by a medical problem & ultimately a diagnosis.
This man clearly felt vulnerable in the hospital waiting area wearing the pajamas he'd been given & the Nurse did comply with his request that the taxi came closer to help with this but I do think another gown could have been given to him. Small things like that can make massive differences in situations like this & of course might stop stories like this one ever getting to print.
The NHS isn't there to mother us but it can remember that empathy costs nothing.
alphadelta says...
7:13pm Mon 1 Oct 12