Valve is left in patient's arm (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Valve is left in patient's arm

Thomas Bragg, who was sent home from hospital with a valve sticking out of his arm, with his daughter Linda Read Picture Ref: 98973-27GREAT Western Hospital has apologised after a frail and dying pensioner was released from care with a valve still sticking out his arm.

The plastic valve, which is used to administer drugs through a needle, was left in Thomas Bragg's arm.

And the hospital has now said that it will look into its procedures after his worried daughter, Linda Read, 41, of Freshbrook, demanded an apology for the negligence.

Mr Bragg, of Pinehurst has a history of ill health and relies on an oxygen nebuliser to breathe.

The 71-year-old, who worked as a builder before retiring, was taken to the Great Western Hospital on August 5 after falling in his bungalow.

His daughter found the needle after he was discharged from hospital, on August 15.

"I found the valve sticking out of my dad's arm when I was sat next to him," said Mrs Read.

"I couldn't believe it, it really shook me up and it was the last thing you expect to find when your ill father has been released from hospital.

"When he fell he had lost a lot of oxygen and had to be resuscitated but the hospital did a wonderful job to get him better.

"But now I am so angry that his release care was so poor.

"When I spoke to the staff nurse to ask her if someone could come out and remove the valve I was shocked at the response.

"She laughed and said we would need to bring my dad back to the hospital. I explained I couldn't do this because he is almost bed bound but it took more calls until a district nurse eventually came out to visit him that night to remove the valve."

She added: "My dad is old and he forgets things easily, he probably didn't even think much of the valve still being there.

"This is the worrying thing. My dad is lucky and has his family and carers who look after him, some elderly people are not as lucky and it could have been a lot more serious.

"If the valve had stayed in his arm for much longer it could have gone gangrene.

"To me this is negligence and I want the hospital to apologise to my dad."

Mr Bragg said the valve did not cause him any pain but was surprised it was not noticed by hospital staff. They looked after me well but I was surprised when Lyn found the valve," he said.

"The nurse cleaned my arm up in case it had got infected."

Chris Birdsall, spokesman for GWH, said: "We are very sorry Mr Bragg was unhappy with the care he received.

"Because of strict rules of confidentiality we are unable to comment on individual cases but we can say on rare occasions people do go home with a cannula, which is a small plastic tube, still attached.

"It is important to stress this is not dangerous and the patients are not at risk. A cannula can be easily removed by any healthcare professional or even the patient themselves. A more rigorous check list for discharge on the ward is now being drawn up and staff training increased."

Lyndsay Scanlan