Brian Osborne
I live in Worcestershire with my wife and two grown-up children. I am a retired police officer and now a self-employed Human Resource / Training consultant.
My retirement from the police service was due to a serious health problem which caused me to encounter the NHS on a regular basis over a 3 year period, culminating in surgery in 2001. This was, for the most part, a positive experience in that I received excellent care – and still do. Fortunately, I now lead an unimpaired life reassured in the fact that I have dedicated specialist nurses to call on if I so wish.
Recently, my 76 yr old mother was admitted to hospital suffering from a number of conditions, none of which were considered life-threatening. Much of the treatment and care was excellent, however there were incidents which I felt did draw into question some of the practices and procedures at the hospital – most notably concerning a fall my mother had which resulted in a broken hip and rapid deterioration in her health which culminated in her death in October 2007. Whilst I don’t believe the fall could have been avoided, I do think that my mother’s vulnerability to falling had increased and had not been recognised by staff. She had also contracted C difficile and MRSA infections – the former being recorded as a contributory cause of her death.
Following her death I made a complaint regarding what I believe to have been neglect on the part of the hospital(s) concerned. It was investigated, I presumed thoroughly, which resulted in the anticipated denial of blame. I took legal advice but decided not to take the matter further. The complaint is no longer ‘live’.
Wishing to do something constructive, I am now pleased to be on a committee at Worcester Royal, looking at patient complaints etc. Being a Patient Champion should be a natural extension to that work.