WHEN Stuart Dunn arrived at hospital in the early hours of the morning, he was told that his wife, Josephine was unlikely to survive her illness.
The 73-year-old had developed a urinary tract infection and was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre after developing a high temperature. Stuart arrived shortly after his wife last Saturday and had to inform their daughter that her mother was unlikely to pull through.
But Josephine woke later that day.
Stuart, who lives in Top Valley and has been married for 41 years, said: "At about 1pm she opened her eyes – first thing I thought was give her a drink. She looked bad, but I was so relieved."
Stuart, who has one daughter and two grandchildren, overheard staff discussing taking Josephine off the Liverpool Care Pathway – a controversial end-of-life plan which he had not been informed about.
"I just happened to hear them say she was on the plan. They thought I knew," the 68-year-old said.
"If I had known, I would have said no from the start. They put her on without my knowledge – it annoyed me."
Stuart and his family first noticed the signs of Josephine's Alzheimer's disease about ten years ago when she began to forget things.
"We all forget things, but it got a bit too bad," he said.
"She doesn't recognise me, she's in a bad state – she can't communicate."
Despite her illness, Josephine has recovered and is back at her Sherwood care home. Stuart said: "She's settled again – I'm just pleased she's back."
Stuart's overwhelming feeling when he looks back at recent events is still shock.
He said: "If I had been away and couldn't get there what would have happened?"
Dr Stephen Fowlie, Medical Director of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have apologised to Mr Dunn for the breakdown in communication in his wife's care. The Liverpool Care Pathway is used by NUH as established and well-researched best-practice for guiding the treatment of patients judged to be at the end of their life.
"The doctors who first assessed Mrs Dunn considered she was very unlikely to survive her severe acute illness. This was discussed with Mr Dunn that day, along with the plan of care. The doctors decided that the Liverpool Care Pathway should be used to help guide Mrs Dunn's care. This decision should not have been enacted without specific discussion with Mr Dunn.
"The next day Mrs Dunn's condition had unexpectedly improved and the doctors considered that the Liverpool Care Pathway was no longer appropriate. NUH is committed to ensuring that relatives play a proper and full part in decisions about a patient's care at the end of life, including the use of the Liverpool Care Pathway."
