Review of Beyond My Control by Suzan Collins
With 33 years’ experience in health and social care Suzan Collins believed she could ensure good care for her mother, and her family relied on her to do so. She was actually delivering training on best practice when she was first contacted with the news her mother had broken her leg at her nursing home and been transferred to hospital. This is the story of what followed – the gradual revelation of a whole ongoing chain of bad practice and poor care that Suzan, with all her knowledge and experience of ‘the system’, could not influence. In this highly topical book, Suzan shares her story from her personal and professional perspectives and looks ahead to how we can all contribute to keeping vulnerable people in the health and social care system safe from harm.
My review
When I read this
book, I must admit to going out of my comfort zone. I prefer fiction to fact as
a rule but this book, which is an account of the last few weeks of the author’s
mother’s life in the health care system, left me angry, sad and frustrated. I was
angry at the way elderly people in hospital or homes are still treated in our
so-called civilized society. I felt sad for Suzan and her family and this
heart-wrenching account left me with tears streaming down my face at one point.
I feel frustrated that despite all her attempts to get answers and for someone
to be accountable, in the end, despite assurances that measures were now in
place to make sure it couldn’t happen again, the hospital and care home were
simply paying lip service.
Best for....
Everyone! Sooner or later most of us will have friends or family in need of health care for the elderly. This is a must-read.
My rating
5/5 this book could literally save someone's life
Where you can find Suzan’s books:
You can find out much more about Suzan and her excellent work on the following:
Business: www.spcconsultancy.com
Twitter: @suzancollins
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