(Barbados Nation) ‘Granny dumping’ continues to have a crippling impact on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The practice of ‘granny dumping’ where elderly and even some young persons are abandoned at the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) and on the wards upon completion of their medical treatment, occurs almost daily but tends to peak especially during Crop Over, Christmas, Easter and for significant events.
There are currently 46 elderly and young for care persons who have been discharged but remain in beds on the medical and surgical wards. The majority of this group is in receipt of pensions, allowances or some form of income generating source available to them which could assist with their transfer and/or admission to an appropriate nursing home or care facility.
“Just recently, an elderly person was discharged, QEH patient transport took them home and on arrival they were refused entry to their home. As a result the person was returned to the hospital,” said Fiona Leacock, QEH clinical risk consultant. “This is entirely unacceptable and deplorable behaviour but it occurs often. The QEH then had to seek police assistance in order to find a suitable solution to the situation.”
