A senior Wirral councillor has spoken passionately about the fight she faced to allow her dying father out of hospital.

Labour councillor Julie McManus said when her father eventually came home, he arrived “wrapped up in a blanket, in an ambulance at 10 O’Clock at night” only to pass away a couple of days later.

Ms McManus, cabinet member for community services, told a public meeting that her father’s first experience of treatment at Arrowe Park Hospital was good, but this time: “The experience was completely different and I really sincerely believe it’s down to training and culture at the hospital.

“We tried for three, possibly four days to get my Dad home. He was dying, he had cancer. It was a real push, a real fight that we didn’t need.”

After explaining how her father arrived back at home, she added: “All we wanted to do as a family was to get him home and your report [the Better Care update] says that that’s what you’re looking for.”

“Whilst the figures might look good, there are still individual cases going on. While they may be small, for the families it’s not small.

“I would just ask that we look at best practice across the hospital and share when particular wards [and individuals] are really good at what they do and [others] are perhaps less caring.”

Jacqui Evans, assistant director for Wirral’s unplanned care and community care, said: “I’m terribly sorry that you’ve experienced that, it’s totally unacceptable. I can reassure you that we are looking at culture, behaviour, training, as much as pathways is a key part.”

Ms McManus’ heartfelt story is a worrying example of just how wrong things can go in the health service, but as she acknowledged the broader picture for healthcare in Wirral is more positive.

Ms Evans added that Wirral is doing well against four key performance indicators which focus on avoiding people unnecessarily staying in hospital beds.

Notably, in the area related to the case of Ms McManus’ father, known as delayed transfer of care, Wirral is above target.

Just 1.44% of patients experience a delayed transfer, which is better than the maximum target of 2.67%.