MP reveals care woes

A flood of complaints about the "truly awful quality of care" in Worcestershire hospitals was highlighted by an MP today.

They included delays in responding to calls, alarms being ignored, wet beds not being changed, staff sitting around talking and joking, and patients going days without fluids.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor met Worcestershire health chiefs today after outlining his concerns to the House of Commons.

He revealed he has been inundated with letters containing examples of "truly awful quality of care".

Health chiefs today promised to thoroughly investigate Dr Taylor's concerns.

The MP highlighted the treatment of one patient with terminal cancer who was admitted to Worcestershire Royal.

Less than 24 hours later he was begging his family to get him out of the hospital.

"On one occasion, the patient's family were told he was not in the ward where he in fact was. When they found him he was obviously dehydrated and had not been washed. He said pitifully, 'I don't feel safe in this hospital. They are leaving me to die'."

Chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust John Rostill said: "Dr Taylor has shared with us a number of issues, some of which we have already received correspondence about, and as always, these will be investigated thoroughly."