A DAUGHTER who claimed her elderly father was left ‘screaming in pain’ after being discharged from Worcestershire Royal Hospital without an ‘adequate care plan’ has responded to comments that she should be taking care of him herself or have him moved into a care home.

Charlotte Morgan, who is the health and wellbeing power of attorney (POA) for her father along with her sister Catherine Mitchel, claimed the Worcestershire NHS Trust have discharged her father, 87-year-old John Butterfield, without informing her or her sister and without an 'adequate care plan' in place.

Some people asked why Charlotte and her sister are 'not doing more themselves' - such as having Mr Butterfield live with one of them or arranging for him to live in a care home.

In response, Charlotte said: “Our problems do not begin with the fact that he lives alone, our main concern is the lack of contact from the hospital regarding his health and his continual discharge and return to hospital. Anyone that knows my dad knows that although he’s 87-years-old, he is incredibly independent, has a passion for his gardening and greenhouse, never sits still for very long and loves to cook and fix things.

“He so desperately wants to maintain that independence and to be in the family home and why shouldn’t he?

“We specifically got power of attorney for my dad’s health and welfare as he is deemed elderly, and we wanted to be prepared for any eventuality especially as we live away from him. But he was not ready to give up his independence and the family home just yet.

"I live closest and regularly visit him, my sister stays for a couple of weeks at a time when she can get time off work, and this has worked well for all of us and for my dad to maintain a lifestyle that he relishes. My sister and I are both married, have children and work full time, again another reason for the POA to be in place, is so that we were informed of his admission and discharge should he be admitted to hospital in our absence."

Mr Butterfield who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, a heart condition and poor eyesight, lives in Worcester, and Charlotte lives in Northampton and Catherine in Glasgow.

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One reader asked why they hadn't created a care plan themselves.

Charlotte said: “When you are assured by medical professionals that something is going to happen you assume it will so we did not have any concerns that he was not going to get the care that he needed. Also, If we interfered in an already complex arrangement to get a home care plan in place every time it would have made the arrangements far more complicated.

"During his whole experience, the hospitals care packages were completely inadequate for his needs. On one occasion he was discharged with huge sores on his legs.

"When I arrived the next morning after my dad had called to say he was at home again, I bandaged these for him. I am not medically trained but could see that the sores needed medical attention, he was obviously re-admitted back to hospital the very next day."

Vicky Morris, Chief Nursing Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We’re sorry to hear that the family of Mr Butterfield are unhappy with the care he has received with us so far.

“We take all complaints about patient care very seriously and will investigate these concerns fully, reporting our findings back to the family as well as identifying any improvements we can make to keep improving patient care.”