A WIFE says the 'system is failing' carers after her fitting husband was 'dragged' across the ground by police, sat on whilst they waited over two hours for an ambulance– and then medical experts failed to spot a bleed on his brain.

Grandfather-of-four Alan Stubbs, 74, has dementia.

His wife Yvonne has given up her job to become his full time carer.

On the night of Saturday, January 21, Alan began fitting.

"Something happened, all of a sudden," said Yvonne. "He flipped. He was taking his clothes off and shouting. It was completely abnormal behaviour for him."

Yvonne called Magna Careline and they told her to call Dorset Police.

By the time two officers arrived, Alan was lying naked in the garden. They requested back up and a further three officers arrived and an ambulance was called. After an hour-and-a-half, officers decided to use force to get Alan inside the house as it was so cold.

As a result, he suffered heavy bruising and cuts.

Yvonne claims officers then 'sat' on Alan whilst they waited for the ambulance for another hour.

"We waited over two and a half hours for the ambulance," said Yvonne. "Paramedics took his vitals and said he was okay. They were so dismissive. At this point I got really angry. I knew it wasn't normal, this was not how Alan behaved, even with his condition. People with dementia do get ill, and when they are it's not always because of their condition.

"One of the paramedics said she would only take him to DCH upon my insistence."

Alan, who served in the navy and went on to work for the MOD, was discharged from hospital later that night with Diazepam. Yvonne says she was told there was nothing wrong. 

But then on Monday, Alan's condition worsened.

"He was in an absolute state," said Yvonne. "He was displaying the same symptoms as he had on Saturday."

Eventually, a GP came and Alan was once again admitted to DCH.

This time, a CT scan was done- and Alan was found to have suffered a bleed on the brain.

"If they had just listened in the first place it might not have gotten so bad," she said.

The family has lodged a formal complaint to the hospital.

Yvonne says there is chronic underfunding of emergency and health services and that those working on the front line don't get adequate training in dealing with these situations.

"I definitely believe that the system is failing people like Alan and their families," said Yvonne. "They need to define "crisis" , as I believe it to mean a time of intense difficulty or danger. And if we weren't experiencing both then I don't have the command of the English language that I thought I had.

"I also think that emergency services should have more training in dealing with mental health issues as it's a growing problem. Look beyond the word "Dementia" and see the individual."

Yvonne is also the primary carer of her mother, who has dementia. She receives £61 a week in benefits for both caring roles.

Alan has now been transferred to Alderney hospital where he will spend up to four weeks. Yvonne is hopeful that with the correct medication, he can return home.

"Mental health is core police business"

The story is published today as mental health charity Mind calls for more support for police officers who aren't able to deal with mental health cases sufficiently.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind, said: "Mental health is core police business."

He said police officers are often the first people to come into contact with "people in mental health crisis" and it was important they had the right support, including from NHS mental health services, to ensure people get the help they need.

He called for further investment to help people before they reach crisis point, adding: "Getting people the right help as early as possible means people can manage their mental health, are less likely to end up in crisis and, ultimately, will reduce pressure on all emergency services."

We contacted the emergency services involved in this story. Here are their responses

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "Police were called at 6.18pm on Saturday 21 January 2017 to reports of a concern for welfare of a man in Weymouth.

"Officers attended and found a vulnerable man outside without clothes on in the freezing cold. He did not wish to return inside his address.

"The officers were faced with a difficult situation. The man was suffering from a medical episode and officers took the decision that in order to preserve life they would use their warranted powers to take him back inside the house while awaiting the ambulance.

"At the time the officers would not have known what he was suffering from, but were not willing to leave him out in the cold due to the risks it posed.

"The officers waited with the man until an ambulance arrived, which took him to hospital for treatment."

A spokesperson for Dorset County Hospital said: “We are not able to talk about individual cases due to patient confidentiality. We can confirm we have received a formal complaint from the family and are currently investigating the circumstances in relation to this occasion. We will remain in contact with the family and update them on our findings.”

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service, said: “We received a call on the evening of Saturday, January 21 to an address in Weymouth. Only one call was received by the ambulance service in relation to this incident. An ambulance attended and the patient was taken to Dorset County Hospital. We would encourage the patient and his family to contact us with any queries or concerns, so that we can address them.”

'It's vital that professionals have proper understanding'

Jo Malyon, Alzheimer’s Society Services Manager for Dorset, said:  “Dementia can make the world a confusing and frightening place as the person struggles to understand what is going on around them.

"If you are supporting a person with dementia who is behaving out of character, it's important to see beyond the behaviour itself and think about what may be causing it. Many people with the condition will experience behavioural and psychological symptoms such as aggression or anxiety. This can often be in response to pain or discomfort, or because of environment or the care they are receiving.

 “It is vital that professionals who are regularly dealing with members of the public have a proper understanding of the complexities of dementia. By funding research into the best care practice, Alzheimer’s Society has shown that adopting a more person-centred care approach can help professionals manage behavioural symptoms more safely and effectively.”