After reading the letters over the last two weeks by Ken Evans and Bette McCulloch about their experiences at Tauranga Hospital I feel compelled to write to you also about my experience with them.
My husband and I had cared for our 'adopted ' father and best friend for 20 years, he lived with us and we were there for him 24 hours a day. After a fall and now 90 years old he was admitted to Tauranga Hospital, we were told he had not long to live and the doctor said he would be happier at home with us on palliative care. We have been professional caregivers for ten years and this what we wanted and our friend, Eric, wanted also.
The Social Workers at the hospital decided we were not capable of this and they sent him to a rest home quickly without our or his permission even though we had Enduring Power of Attorney.
The rest home told me they would take a Court Injunction out against us if we tried to remove him. We were so distressed and distraught and not one department in the hospital (I rang them all) or Health and Disability were willing to help. He died alone in the rest home, without us, 8 days later.
We support Ken Evans in his crusade to meet with Tony Ryall, Minister of Health and we urge anyone else who has had traumatic experiences at the hospital or rest homes to write email or phone him or myself as it is only in numbers that we can make a change. I would like to see an independent inquiry into the running of our local hospital.
Barbara Burnham, Tauranga.