Lesley Dempsey
Sally Lane
Ask The
Experts
Lesley Dempsey and Sally Lane
are Clinical Nurse Specialists at
the University Hospital Aintree
in Liverpool. Their extensive
combined experience with larys
makes them the go-to people for all
your questions and advice.
This issue, Mrs Su Whibberley, a
friend of a recent tracheostomy
patient, got in touch to raise a big
issue for many new larys, trachees
and their families: how do you
maintain the care you need when
you leave hospital?
20 THE VOICE | Summer 2013
q
“My neighbour recently
underwent surgery to remove
a tumour on his brain. It left
him in a very poorly state,
and quite unable to swallow.
Although he’s recovering well,
he still has a tracheostomy
in situ, and is fed by a tube.
He may never regain the
swallowing action.”
“His wife has been told that he’ll
soon be able to leave hospital –
but he won’t be able to go home
as his tracheotomy needs to be
cleared every four to six hours.
They think it’s unlikely she’d be
able to do it, and have suggested
moving her husband into a care
home. It was devastating news, my
neighbours are both a very young
74, and up until last year, led a very
busy retirement.
To make matters worse, the local
community hospital have said they
don’t have any nurses trained to
deal with the tracheostomy. There
are no available places in the local
care homes either. As you can
imagine, it’s all very upsetting. Are
there any groups in North Wales