Ockenden: NHS ‘failed’ to protect my daughter – Irvine Times

Donna Ockenden described how she felt compelled to help patients who needed support during recent trips to A&E with her daughter Phoebe.

On the third visit to the emergency department (ED), Phoebe, who has epilepsy and was having seizures, was left alone in the chair for seven hours after being transferred to the hospital by ambulance.

Ms Ockenden, who is leading official inquiries into failings in maternity care at the health service, said she was “disgusted” by the care her 20-year-old daughter received.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Mrs Ockenden said: “This was Phoebe’s third visit to A&E in recent weeks.

“She has been seizure free for nine months and is doing very well with her epilepsy and her independence.

“She recently changed her medication.

“We have had three 999 transports to hospital since October 9.

“During the first two (visits) I was with her and I was her advocate, it was still pretty stupid … but on the third I was in Dubai on holiday and I woke up to reports that Phoebe was in emergency.

“Despite her learning difficulties and the service knowing she was left alone in the waiting room, she is 20 but really vulnerable and was left in a chair for seven hours, still having some seizures.

“Initially she was left alone in the waiting room, it’s just indescribable, absolutely disgusting and disgraceful.”

Mrs Ockenden, who has worked in the health service for more than 40 years, said during the first two visits Phoebe was “pretty much safe” because she was with her.

She referred to Darzi’s recent NHS review, which concluded A&E was in a “terrible state”.

Ms Ockenden said she thought corridor care had become “normalised” after seeing laminated signs on the walls indicating where patients were waiting on trolleys.

“The two nights I was with Phoebe, I was actually taking care of other patients on gurneys,” she said.

“The first night I found myself looking after an elderly lady who was very confused, crying for water.

“I thought, ‘Oh, I’d better not give her water because if she had difficulty swallowing she could choke,’ so I consulted someone and managed to get her water.”

“On the second night there was a very confused, elderly gentleman in a trolley – no one was keeping an eye on him.

“He was trying to get off the trolley to go to the toilet, he was calling to go to the toilet.

“I said to Phoebe’s dad, ‘we’re going to have to ask to get him, he’s so upset he’s going to get out of that pram’, so he sent the gentleman to the toilet and waited outside.

“Later we saw the gentleman – he had put on his hat and coat himself and was trying to get out the door.

“And we had to alert the staff … if we hadn’t spotted him, God knows where he could have ended up.”

She added: “I am desperately worried about this winter.

“Being Phoebe’s mom, I pray fervently that she won’t have to go into AG again… but with her health issues, we’ll be very lucky if we get through the winter without her having to go in.

“I just think something needs to be done.”

Mrs Ockenden, from Sussex, first spoke about Phoebe’s experiences on X. She wrote: “So 3rd visit in 3 weeks to the ED for my lovely @OckendenPhoebe. I was away on holidays and with her learning difficulties the NHS failed to provide her with safe care: 7 hours in a chair/seizures/1 set of vitals/no meds/no medical exam. Until I raised the roof! Disgusting!”

She added: “It’s so scary that even though Phoebe is 20 years old, I’m ‘on call’ 24/7 to make sure she gets basic/safe care. No frills! Just safety. It’s not happening right now. Clear on that.’

Phoebe has called for a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has previously spoken of his “enormous respect for Donna Ockenden”.

She posted on X: “@wesstreeting You say the NHS is broken now you need to fix it. I’ve been in ED 3 times in the last 4 weeks with seizures, always on a trolley: this time chair for 7 hours with seizures no mum @DOckendenLtd I’m not safe, meet me please to make sure this gets sorted , I’m waiting!”

Ms Ockenden led a review of maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and is currently leading the Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust review.

Ms Ockendon did not want to name the hospital involved in her daughter’s care.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Phoebe’s experience is unacceptable and symptomatic of our broken NHS.

“The Chancellor has announced a £22.6bn injection into the NHS to get it back on its feet so it can once again be there for us all when we need it.”