Claiming on insurance

If she was flow by specialized air ambulance their staff would (should) have been aware of any potential issues with flying and had the suitable monitoring and treatment facilities; My concern was her being cleared to go on a commercial flight and the potential risks.

I don't have access to my guidelines as they're in storage in the UK regarding the suggested times before flying and without access to records I wouldn't like to comment.

I would suggest that the insurers are trying to reduce their losses but I doubt the air ambulance company would risk a malpractice case...

I seem to recall most cases back to LHR went to Ashford A&E but Surrey ambulance and hospitals used to use a system where the patients were sent to the least busy department not necessarily the closest. (I don't know if it was a private transfer or possibly London Ambulance).

Given that it is not really any longer an acute incident I would hope that they didn't start diagnosis again her but just taking observations and deciding the most appropriate place for admission.

If they still exist get PALS - the complaint/liaison team involved as early as possible and I hate to say this as most staff work hard and are under extreme pressures but make a fuss if you're (or BIL) are unhappy about her care, patients DO get forgotten and there are insufficient staff to give the amount of 1 on 1 care for most patients these day. And pester about getting her to a stroke rehab facility ASAP.

Hope it all works out.

PW

Yes, she was flown back by specialised staff, there was never any question that she would be flown on a commercial flight. I can't imagine how they would have happened!

She was flown back to Stansted airport - her closest hospital is not far from there too, so she was taken there.

You're sort of right in that it is no longer an acute incident, but nonetheless they seem to have been doing assessments all over again. We had a meeting yesterday with the consultant and she was asking my BIL if the stroke was caused by a cardiac event - he didn't know, and said that all her notes and repots had come over with her and scans etc were on a cd... - which leaves me wondering how much they've looked at them.

Hi Cat, sorry to hear of your circumstances and sincerely hope that your sister is continuing to improve.

If you are now involved with her care this end and are not happy with any aspects of her treatment then please do as PilotWolf suggests and get PALS involved. My experience is that they will respond very quickly, in fact the sheer mention of this to her treatment team will make them sit up and listen.

Having said that, it is quite normal for the UK team to want to do their own assessment but, as you say, they should have read any information available.

Take care
Jilly

Hi Jilly,

PALS is indeed on my radar, I've used them before and you're right, speaking to them can definitely make things happen. I'm not sure how involved in her care I am now, the hospital is about an hour from me, so I can't visit more than about once a week. That said, I'm in regular touch with my BIL and niece. The consultant yesterday was very upfront with her info, though I still don't know if her notes from the US were included in their assessment. I'm keeping my ear close to what's going on.... The trouble is, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.