Patient is moved on eight times in a year

From the archive, first published Thursday 20th Oct 2005.

GAZETTE & HERALD: AN elderly man suffering from dementia has been moved from hospital to hospital eight times over the last year ­ ending up at Warminster Hospital, while his wife, Rita Coombes, lives in Calne and struggles to visit him.

Mrs Coombes, 72, from Luckett Way, Calne, has been through the heartbreak of seeing her husband of 52 years, Ronald, develop dementia and reach the state where he doesn't recognise her anymore.

She cared for Mr Coombes, 75, at home for eight years, but his health declined and about a year ago he was taken into hospital.

During the last 12 months he has been moved from hospital to hospital eight times ­ including Swindon's Great Western Hospital, Westbury Hospital, Greengates residential home in Westbury, and the Bath Royal United Hospital ­ ending up in Warminster.

Now Mrs Coombes is at her wits' end because she doesn't drive and finds it almost impossible to visit her husband.

"It's so hard," she said. "I've been trying for 12 months to get him into a home near me. If we could get him into a home in Melksham, for instance, I could get a bus to see him, if only there was the funding for a place."

Mrs Coombes has relied on her daughter, who works in Malmesbury, to take her on visits. Her son lives in Germany but friends have helped out. However she said there was a limit on how much friends could do.

She said Mr Coombes, who worked as a fork-lift operator and a night watchman before his retirement, became ill shortly after he retired.

She is now trying to organise transport through the Link scheme.

"It's been a real struggle for the last 12 months," she said.

Dorothy Lacey, of the Alzheimer's Society North Wilts branch, said: "This is the worst case I have ever heard of. He has been moved so many times from place to place.

"People with dementia need to have a settled environment, not to be moved constantly. He has been moved eight times since Christmas Eve."

Ms Lacey said the situation had been compounded because the Coombes had moved from one health authority area to another with various social workers involved and there were problems getting funding for a nursing home.

"It does cost a lot of keep someone in full time residential care but Mrs Coombes has been looking after him for many years," she said.

A spokesman for Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust said: "We are aware of the difficulties caused by Mr Coombes being an inpatient at Warminster Hospital and are trying to arrange a transfer to Chippenham Hospital as soon as a bed is available and suitable medical cover agreed."

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