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An 80-year-old woman who was let down “appallingly” by Jersey's patient travel service after surgery in the UK – and forced to spend hours in taxis while in pain – has sparked an urgent policy review.
Rachel Mills was hoping to fly back to the island with her mother, Denise Gould, on Friday.
Mrs Gould had undergone major surgery at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
Mrs Mills called the patient travel service on Thursday to organise transport back but was told that a flight could only be booked once her mother had been officially discharged.
After she was formally discharged on Friday, the travel service then could not book a flight from London airports or Southampton because they were all full. They booked Mrs Gould and Mrs Mills on a flight from Birmingham but that flight was later cancelled.
Mrs Mills, who is a dance teacher in Norway and was eager to get home to see her own children after two weeks of looking after her mother, shared her frustrating story on Facebook.
Pictured: Mrs Mills, who described herself as feeling "angry and helpless", took to Facebook to vent her frustration and upset at the situation.
“Mum endured an extremely uncomfortable three-hour taxi journey to Birmingham, where we sat in a noisy and chaotic special assistance area waiting for help," she explained.
"Then we got a text from Blue Islands: our flight was cancelled.”
With the travel office in Jersey closed because it was after 17:00, the duty nurse rebooked the pair on a flight from East Midlands on Saturday, necessitating a night’s stay with family in Shropshire and another uncomfortable taxi ride to the new airport.
Writing during her impromptu night-stop, Mrs Mills posted: “The travel office were so worried about saving a few pounds that instead of acting responsibly and booking a flexible flight, which would have meant that if discharge was delayed, they wouldn’t lose everything they now have to pay for.”
Pictured: Mrs Mills' mother had to endure three lengthy taxi journeys – London to Birmingham, Birmingham to Shropshire, and Shropshire to East Midlands.
She added: “I am so angry and currently so helpless.
"I truly believe that Jersey Hospital should now take responsibility for this lady, who has been through so much, and do whatever it takes to get her home safely with as little stress as possible.”
Mrs Mills’s Facebook post elicited widespread support and empathy for her predicament, while some islanders shared their own experiences of being let down by the travel service.
It also prompted promises of action – including a message from Chief Minister Kristina Moore, who pledged to undertake a review of the Hospital’s travel booking policy.
Speaking to Express on Sunday, having returned to the island the day before, Mrs Mills said: “We have had so many messages of love and offers of support. The kindness we have received has been extraordinary.
“I also want to praise the Hospital staff – they did everything they could to help but were bound by an inflexible policy which put a vulnerable patient at risk. The staff I spoke with understood our situation but said they couldn’t do anything.”
Pictured: The Chief Minister personally pledged to undertake a policy review.
Mrs Mills later composed a second post to share the news that she and Mrs Gould were home and to thank everyone who had helped get them back.
“So glad to be home. Poor mum is due to go back to Royal Marsden in two weeks for more treatment so let’s hope we regain some confidence before she goes again,” she wrote.
In a statement, the Health and Community Services Department said: “We are aware of hospital patient who was unable to return to the island on Friday, after treatment in the UK, due to the cancelation of a flight.
“While this was not something Health and Community Services could have anticipated, our hospital colleagues worked hard from Friday evening to make arrangements for alternative travel and accommodation.
“Health and Community Services acknowledge the issue with unexpected cancellation of flights and can confirm the travel booking policy will be reviewed.”
It added: “The wellbeing of any patient requiring care off-island continues to be our priority, and Health and Community Services has apologised to the patient and the family for the situation.
“Health and Community Services can confirm they have been in contact with the patient and the family throughout the challenges of returning to the island and can confirm the patient was back on the island on Saturday and a review for the patient has been organised.”
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