Hospital admissions avoidance - focus group with retired people in Haringey

Healthwatch Camden, Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Islington held a focus group with retired people from Haringey in November 2017 at Tottenham Town Hall.

They asked about their general experience of recent admissions to hospital. The key themes included poor, uncoordinated experience of A&E at the Whittington Hospital, was told twice to wait in the wrong place for examination after hitting head/eye and had to ask for results, resulting in several hours’ extra waiting, did not need or expect to be admitted. Concerns that doctors and nurses in A&E no longer have the expertise to treat people on the spot. Concerns that there is a government push to keep people with dementia out of hospital. Concerns about lack of appropriate housing options for people with dementia. Concerns that the poor quality of domiciliary care for older people with dementia (and abuse and neglect by carers) is resulting in more people needing to be admitted (e.g. with dehydration, malnutrition, pressure sores).