He enjoyed his dogs, country living and family. Always willing to help. He wound the village clock and helped mow the churchyard and did the little community jobs. By the end he was not a well man. We were prepared to accept that he was going to die. We did not believe that he deserved to die in the unkind, uncaring way he was forced to. But to the authorities he was old and a nuisance.

He went into hospital with a grumbling heart and prostate cancer. During his stay he deteriorated, became immobile, incontinent and confused. Christmas came so the “home first” policy was put into action. A phone call told us that in 24 hours he and a hospital bed would be delivered back home. He would have four visits a day to sort out his catheter, food, cleanliness and well-being. As there was no one else at home we were surprised that a bed bound, confused, unwell gentle man would be properly cared for. Late that evening we cleared the sitting room for his arrival.

At no time promised four visits materialise. The district nurses, who are under unnecessary, relentless, pressure went well beyond their remit to ensure he was medically as sound as he could be.

As a man who never liked to trouble anyone, he found it awkward, embarrassing, and difficult to ask the carers for help. Consequently, it was easier to say that he was fine. It is hard for someone to swallow their pride and admit that they have soiled the bed. To an outsider it is obvious. Instead of taking the situation into their own hands and ensuring his welfare they walked away and often left him sitting in his own wet and soiled bed. His thick country accent sometimes made him difficult to understand but this worked in both directions. On the odd occasion when they did change the bed the soiled bed clothes and sheets would be put beside the washing machine as they were not supposed to wash them and simply did not have time.

There was no one to wash them. The deterioration was quick and cruel.

Just before Christmas he was readmitted. Just after Christmas the problem was solved. He died. A close call but fortunately not lying in his own poo, hungry, lonely and confused.

If he had been able to go into the Ellen Badger Hospital to die it would have been kinder.

A System Under Strain: My Mother’s Journey Through Inadequate Community Care

My mother suffered a stroke, leading to her initial treatment in Coventry before being transferred to Leamington for rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the home care services have been nearly non-existent, forcing me to move in with her to ensure she receives the necessary care.

While in the hospital, she developed an infection that left her extremely weak. We requested a GP home visit, but that request was denied, compelling me to make a challenging trip to the surgery. When we finally saw the GP, the only solution offered was physiotherapy.

I recently learned from the physiotherapy team that someone will drop by in the New Year with an exercise sheet, which feels insufficient given her needs.

Additionally, a frailty nurse visited but indicated she wouldn’t return for another four months. This experience has left me deeply concerned about the effectiveness of local community care services. It is evident that substantial improvements are needed to

better support individuals and families in our community.

The Struggle for Accessible Care: A Personal Account of Navigating Healthcare Challenges

Following a fall I required many visits to Warwick Hospital. The problem was co-ordinating someone to sit at home with my dementia husband and someone to drive me to the hospital.

 This was made more difficult when I had no idea of the waiting time, and I experienced anything from two hours to five hours. Adding further to the stress was the length of the journey. 

On a separate occasion, my husband also had an appointment necessitating journeys to Stratford, Alcester and the surgery. Shipston residents needs to have services closer to home, transport is adding considerable stress to an already difficult situation, especially which captures the personal experiences and challenges faced by individuals in accessing necessary medical care, this serves to highlight the barriers within the healthcare system.