The inquiry into Stafford Hospital has been told of horrific scenes on wards – and a blunder by Government health officials.

Julie Bailey, founder of the Cure the NHS campaign group, told the inquiry that she and her mother feared for their own lives as patients were attacked by other patients.

Her 86-year-old mother Bella was one of the patients alleged to have died because of poor care standards at the hospital.

The inquiry was told patients were left “screaming out” in pain on under-staffed wards.

Mrs Bailey claimed that the hospital failed to take her concerns seriously and added that when she wrote to the then Health Secretary Alan Johnson she received a letter in return offering his condolences on the loss of her ‘wife’.

She also told how her mother was dropped by a healthcare assistant leading to serious complications which she believes ultimately contributed to her mother’s death.

During her evidence Mr Francis QC, who is leading the investigation into the hospital, asked her about claims patients were drinking from water vases.

Mrs Bailey said: “I saw that myself on several occasions, it wasn’t just one occasion.

“They couldn’t find anything else to drink so they were drinking from flower vases.

“There were just no fluids available for patients.”

She said nurses told her they could not leave drinks out for patients to drink during the night because of “health and safety”.

Mrs Bailey wrote to the hospital, David Kidney MP, the then Labour Health Secretary Alan Johnson and the health scrutiny committee at Stafford Borough Council in a bid to warn of the poor standards.

She said of the letter of reply on behalf of Mr Johnson: “You go to the person you think is there to look after you and I got this response back.

“It was utter contempt. I didn’t think they had even read my letter.”

Mr Francis has allowed a restriction order that means witnesses giving evidence will not be allowed to say the names of individuals they feel delivered poor care.

Those names will also not be allowed to be reported in the media or those responsible could face legal action for contempt of court.