Wigan Infirmary help man go to wife's funeral after hip break

Hospital staff have earned praise for helping a man attend his wife’s funeral the day after breaking his hip.

Kevin Melling was left requiring major surgery after a fall at his home in Worsley Mesnes in late November, leaving him in the unthinkable position of potentially missing the funeral of his wife Judith, who died aged 76 in November.

But staff at Wigan Infirmary’s Aspull Ward stepped in to make sure the 68-year-old would still be able to attend and say his final goodbyes to his late wife with his family members.

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Judith’s granddaughter Natalie, who also works at the infirmary as a theatre nurse, said: “I was able to speak to the surgeons and told them the story.

“So when the ambulance arrived at hospital, I went down to see him, as I was working on that day, and I spoke to the trauma coordinator on the Aspull Ward.

“They were looking for different options, like operating on the day, but they came up with the option of leaving it till Friday so he could attend the funeral.”

Natalie added: “The funeral was in the afternoon, so it was then about trying to arrange transport for him in the morning.

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“He spent the night in the Aspull Ward, and at 9am they took him to the theatre to give him a local anaesthetic in his hip. That meant he was pain free for the funeral.”

The Medical Response Services, which provides additional patient transfer and medical cover for the NHS, then put Mr Melling on a stretcher and took him to the funeral, with nurse escort Alison staying with him all day and even making sure he could attend the wake at Goose Green Labour Club.

“When we got to the crematorium, he was there waiting for us,” said Natalie.

“I couldn’t believe it, really. We never expected him to be able to come to the wake.

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“I thought he’d have to go back to the ward straight after the funeral.

“For them to bring him there, we couldn’t believe it.

“You don’t get to chat much in a crematorium, but he could chat a lot to everyone at the wake instead.”

Mr Melling returned to the hospital later that day, and underwent a successful total hip replacement operation the following day.

He is now recovering well at his home with the help of his brother and sister-in-law.