Mum (66) suffered months of hospital hell

A MAN has slammed two hospital trusts and demanded an apology for the care his mother received, claiming she was allowed to fall numerous times, once knocking her teeth out, given the wrong identity bracelet and was even left with sunburn after she was put in a bed next to a window.

The man, who does not want to be named, said his mum, from Burnley, who is now 66, suffered a brain haemorrhage, which was originally diagnosed as a water infection, three years ago.

She first attended Burnley General Hospital but, after her family decided they wanted a second opinion, she was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital, where she was admitted.

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She was then transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital where she stayed for four weeks and had neurosurgery to repair an aneurysm.

Over a six-month period she stayed in Burnley and Blackburn hospitals as well as Pendle Community Hospital, Nelson, and Rakehead Rehabilitation Centre, Burnley, before returning to the Royal Preston.

But her son said the treatment she received in Blackburn and Preston was nothing short of neglect.

He claims she was left needing stitches over her right and left eye after two separate unsupervised falls and in another knocked three or four of her teeth out, which she had to pay £4,000 to have treated.

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He said she had to wait several days for treatment for sunburn after drugs she was given as part of her treatment made her skin more sensitive to sunlight.

He claims she was put in a bed next to a south-facing window, which had no screens or blinds, causing her skin to blister and at one stage was given an identity bracelet belonging to another patient.

The 44-year-old son, who now lives in Colne, said his mother, a nurse for more than 30 years, was left without food and on one occasion was too dehydrated to have surgery, as well as having a number of personal hygiene issues.

He is now demanding an apology from East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Burnley and Blackburn hospitals, and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in charge of the Royal Preston Hospital.

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The son has also taken his concerns to the office of Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle but said he is waiting for a response.

A spokeswoman for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are sorry to hear of the man’s concerns regarding his mother’s care.

“We would have welcomed the opportunity to investigate those concerns at the time three years ago, however, he did not formalise his concerns.

“If he wishes to get in touch with us we would be happy to discuss the issues directly with him.”

A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman declined to issue a statement saying the Trust was unable to comment on individual cases.

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