"My parent's appointment at the imaging clinic"

My parent had an ultrasound appointment on their groin to check a stent which had been inserted recently to improve blood flow down their legs to heal a toe injury. They also have worsening mixed dementia and has hearing issues. Upon arriving at their appointment on time my stepparent had notified the staff that my parent has dementia and hearing issues and could they please let them go in with my parent. That didn't happen, so my stepparent waited in the waiting room for approx. 2 hours.

When it had seemed to be a bit long, my step parent asked where my parent was and was it much longer. They waited another 45 minutes and then got a phone call from someone who asked if my stepparent knew someone by the name of my parent. My parent was on the other side of the hospital wandering around and didn't know where they were. My parent finally remembered my stepparent’s phone no and subsequently found someone to call my stepparent to come and get them. My parent is very very thin and had been fasting all day. They were extremely cold and obviously distressed and so was my stepparent.

It seemed the RPH Ultrasound clinic had just let my parent out and had not even bothered to let my stepparent know. I just find this a bit abhorrent and I feel this is a total lack of patient care. My parent is elderly and has worsening dementia and this is extremely upsetting for the whole family and for this to happen to them I feel is quite horrible. It is very difficult for my stepparent as they are also elderly and is my parent’s primary carer. By the time they got home it had been around 4 hours and nearly 24 hours since my parent had eaten or drunk anything. I believe this needs to be addressed and cannot happen again to any patient. Kind Regards, firest99