Chorley Hospital to investigate family's claims pensioner was left in 'dirty and dishevelled state' during treatment

Joanna Reid says her 87-year-old father James Davidson Martin, who suffered with Alzheimer’s and mixed dementia, was left in a distressed state and devoid of dignity before his death.

Her father, who passed away in June, was admitted to the Medical Admissions Unit (MAU) on April 11 at Chorley Hospital and then moved to Rookwood A on April 13 before being discharged April 22.

During his spell in hospital, Joanna says her father was left covered in food and without his glasses.

She was so unhappy with her elderly father’s treatment that she has lodged an official complaint. NHS bosses say they have now launched an internal investigation into the family’s concerns.

She said: "He was admitted following a visit to A&E Preston on the Saturday night and subsequent blood cultures showed a concerning bacteria. He had a urinary catheter put in and was discharged home with this.

"When I arrived at MAU on April 12 for the one hour visiting at 1pm, I found my father sat in a chair, dirty and dishevelled with a full plate of cold food and a milky tea.

"They had written on the board above his bed he drinks black tea in front of him.

"I had luckily brought some food and drink with me which he took happily. Whilst there I gave him a wash and changed his clothes.

"I took him but the toilet floor was very wet, so we had to go and find another one so by the time we did that he didn’t want to go anymore."

Joanna arrived the next day to hear her father had been moved to Rookwood A.

However on arrival, she witnessed the same predicament.

What happened at the hospital?

She added: "He was sat out of bed, slumped in a chair too big for him with his legs dangling and trailing in some kind of fluid on the floor.

"He was covered in food, no glasses on - he is extremely short sighted and has cataracts and it was extremely distressing to see him neglected in this way.

"When I raised my concerns I was informed there was a shortage of staff with a high number having called in sick that afternoon.

"I was promised my father would receive the right support and an improvement in care however this was not to be the case.

"It was coming up to bank holiday weekend and it was clear that the ward was under resourced with few regular staff due to holiday/sickness and more agency or bank staff.

"I witnessed agency health care assistants discussing rates of pay, the number of hours they were working or their conditions of work in front of myself and the patients which I felt was inappropriate. There was no consistency in staffing or care.

"Every day there was a different nurse and no regular doctor due to the long bank holiday weekend.

"My father wears hearing aids and one was lost the second day on Rookwood A. I raised this with the staff on separate occasions, but this was met with disinterest. He is also very short sighted and has a bad cataract in his left eye and on several occasions he was not wearing his glasses when I came in. I feel that he was denied access to the aids that support his communication, independence, and psychological and emotional well-being."

She added that she found medication on two separate occasions - one still in the pot on his bedside table and another in his bed clothes and that during his stay he was left in a unkempt state.

What happened at the care home?

After he was discharged from hospital she claims he then attended Alston View Nursing and Residential Home in Longridge.

She said that the care home, which is rated by the CQC as requiring improvement, often left her dad in bed until late afternoon.

She said: "I asked the carer why he was still in bed and was advised that he stays in bed until lunch, and when questioned further, said it was due to risk of falls.

"He had no access or ability to summon assistance and should he be able to shout, was in a separate area from any staff so would not be heard. He was lying half on a lumpy pad, he had one hearing aid under his shoulder (unable to find the other at that time).

"My dad has always been a very smart, proud man and it was so distressing to see him in this state when he was meant to be there to be looked after while we both recovered a bit.”

What did the hospital say?

A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals spokesperson said: “We are sorry that the levels of care provided for Mr Martin have fallen below the family’s expectations as well as our own.

"Our Patient Experience and PALS team are in communication with the family to investigate accordingly and highlight areas for improvement.”

Alston View Nursing and Residential Home has been approached for comment.