Elderly patient had wrong name tag on wrist at Walsall Manor Hospital

Sheila Baker, aged 85, was first admitted to Walsall Manor Hospital after a fall at her daughter Fiona Joyce’s home.

But a week after undergoing a half-hip replacement, the family were shocked to find her wearing a wrist tag with the wrong name.

The name belonged to a patient located opposite in the hospital’s orthopaedic ward.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, has said it is investigating the incident, which was reported to the trust’s patient advice and liaison services by the family.

Mrs Baker, who was in poor health before the fall, has since been placed on end-of-life care.

Fiona Joyce, aged 54, said: “I’m absolutely devastated.

“The placing of the wrong name tag on her wrist has now been compounded by her being on end-of-life care.”

Miss Joyce visited her mother last Friday – two days before she was discovered with the wrong name tag on her wrist by other daughter Amanda Abakay.

She said: “We don’t know exactly how long the wrong tag was on her wrist, or if she was given any medication that was not for her.

“When we asked what happened, we were told it was agency nurses.”

Mrs Baker was living in Rushall independently before she was admitted to hospital.

Born in Walsall, she attended St Patrick’s School in the town before working at factory and hotels across the country.

She married twice and had seven children, one boy and six girls. She also has 19 grandchildren.

She was admitted to hospital on July 20 and had the operation on her hip on July 27.

Rachel Overfield, director of nursing at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We have spoken to the family regarding their concerns and are investigating the issues they have raised.

“We can confirm that no harm has been caused to the patient and will meet with the family at a later date once our investigations have been completed.”