"Unreasonable discharge expectations"

My elderly sibling was admitted to Dubbo Hospital with a suspected heart attack. After tests conducted the following day, it was arranged for them to be taken via ambulance transport to a different hospital for an angiogram two days later. The procedure was performed in the afternoon. Much later that afternoon, my sibling was taken back to Dubbo Hospital where they were told that they would be sent to a motel & allowed to go home the following day.

By then it was quite late in the evening. I believe this is contrary to the information given to my sibling at the hospital where the tests were done, where they were told that they would stay in Dubbo hospital for 2 or 3 days while their medication was adjusted & monitored.

Being informed that they were to be sent to a motel proved to be an extremely stressful situation for my sibling as they do have a slightly diminished capacity to advocate for themselves. Apparently my sibling was sweating profusely. This was noticed & their blood pressure was subsequently taken. Their BP proved to be extremely high so they weren't discharged. I believe that at no time were they offered a meal & hadn't received food since about 12.30pm at the other hospital.

I feel this is totally unreasonable treatment of someone of my sibling's age & circumstances. Apart from having to deal with the arterial puncture wound in their wrist from the angiogram, how were they going to manage caring for themselves alone if another medical situation arose during the night? How could the effectiveness of the new heart medication be monitored without nursing staff on hand? My sibling does not have a mobile phone, nor friends or relatives close to Dubbo.

A relative was able to take my sibling back to their own suburb the next day. I feel strongly that my sibling's stay in hospital should have been for a longer duration to make certain that the new medication they had been prescribed was being effective.

In my opinion, elderly patients need better care than that which my sibling received. I hope this complaint will receive appropriate attention & that future similar cases are treated with greater consideration of a patients' circumstance.