THE ISLE of Wight Coroner has criticised the Island's NHS after a woman was sent home from St Mary's Hospital without a discharge summary — leaving her GP in the dark about her treatment.

An inquest heard Marina Holland, 84, died at the hospital on January 28.

She had visited the hospital a number of times following a stroke last year, and also suffered from mesothelioma — after she was exposed to asbestos at some point in her life.

Following one hospital stay, she was discharged last November to Orchard House Care Centre in Newport — but there was no discharge summary attached to her medical records.

Her GP was not informed about her hospital treatment, or that she had been sent to the care home.

Isle of Wight NHS Trust medical director Alistair Flowerdew told the inquest: "We are in this conundrum where we need to make sure summaries are done before the patient leaves the hospital but, with the congestion we get throughout winter, some people end up leaving without them."

Coroner Caroline Sumeray said: "I sent a report regarding this issue about 11 months ago. It's important that when I have a concern, I raise it with the relevant bodies where I think it may go towards preventing future deaths.

"One doctor at a surgery in Newport has told me that in as many as a third of cases, he finds patients who have been discharged from the hospital with no summaries attached.

"It seems to me this is not something I or GPs should be struggling with.

"If you have a patient with something like dementia, who can't recall their own medical history, and GPs can't find out, there is a real risk there."

Mr Flowerdew answered: "This death came at a time that was particularly difficult. We were really struggling with a lack of workforce.

"It's my hope that by next year, at least 90 per cent of discharge summaries are done within three days of the patient being discharged."

The inquest heard Ms Holland was born in Lincolnshire before moving to the Island, where she worked at Blackwater Mill and St Lawrence care homes.

Ms Sumeray concluded she died as a result of mesothelioma, stemming from an unknown origin.

 

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