Peter Shanks, a 64-year-old man who recently had his leg amputated, has expressed feeling “hopeless” after being relocated from a hospital far away from his loved ones. His mobile home in West Hanningfield was deemed unfit for post-operation and he was transferred to a hotel approximately 20 miles away. Chelmsford City Council has said it is monitoring his “situation” but has not clarified as to what changes they will make to his accommodation, if any.
In the meantime, Mr. Shanks says he cannot afford restaurant food and must mainly resort to making soup and noodles in his room using a kettle. His overall mobility has been severely impacted, and although he is trying to do small exercises for his leg, he admits that it’s hard when he’s “feeling down.” He is saddened by the fact that his family and friends have a hard time visiting him, with some not having the means of transportation to do so.
Mr. Shanks went to Basildon hospital on November 12th, 2021 for a planned knee amputation. After this procedure, a blood clot developed, forcing doctors to perform further surgery and amputate his leg above the knee. He was allowed to leave the hospital on December 27th, 2021, but could not return home. The council hastily organized last-minute emergency accommodation at a nearby Travelodge in Great Dunmow, in north Essex, for his residence.
Anxiety over the hospital’s lack of preparedness in assisting patients like Mr. Shanks is on the rise, with many people voicing their concern over poor hygiene videos and inadequate post-operation accommodations. Following the novel coronavirus outbreak, hospitals are experiencing issues in finding suitable accommodation for patients who require lengthy periods of rehabilitation. For example, experts have expressed concern over a lack of resources the NHS has on hand to offer suitable space for social distancing in an effort to minimize the risk of further infection.
Chronic underfunding by the government, of both the NHS and local councils is also adding to the burden on patients and their families. In response, the government has stated that they will invest £600m this year and £1bn in 2025 to support councils and the NHS with “effective discharge.
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