'Filthy' hospital blasted

Observer reader Marion Ham recently slammed conditions at the hospital when her husband David died.

He had contracted the MRSA superbug following a routine operation to have a chest drain fitted, an operation Marion says was carried out in conditions 'worse than a public toilet'.

Now, after hearing of Marion's plight, Marie Cullen, of Pebsham Lane, has come forward with a story about the death of her mother, 72-year-old Margaret Fraser, which she says is a 'mirror-image' of Marion Ham's.

Margaret was suffering with emphysema and was admitted to the Conquest on April 26 last year with a collapsed lung.

A chest drain tube was administered on the A&E department and days later, on the same ward (Tressell) in which David Ham died, the procedure to remove the tube was carried out.

Mrs Fraser (pictured in hospital) died shortly after the operation and even now, a year on, her daughter is convinced dirty conditions were behind her mother's death.

She said: "She had a blood stained pillow case, dirty vomit bowls on the locker, on the windowsill and on the food table. She couldn't see and had no help whatsoever.

"The lack of nursing care and hygiene was absolutely diabolical.

"The doctor who came to take the drain out was already wearing rubber gloves which he did not change before the procedure."

Mrs Cullen was told that following the operation her mother would be fine to go home in a few days but due to complications she died, but only after being left in a 'delirious state' for more than 13 hours.

Mrs Cullen was then told her mother had contracted MRSA, although not until six days after doctors diagnosed it.

Even then she was given no advice and dismissively told it was 'something she could get over.'

Marie did receive an apology from the hospital but still blames them for her mother's death.

She said: "We can't afford the solicitors fees to take this to court but I do definitely believe they killed my mum. Something really drastic needs to be done at that hospital."

A Hospital Trust spokesman said: "Mrs Cullen's complaint has been fully investigated and she has met with senior medical and nursing staff to try to resolve her concerns.

"The issue of hygiene and cleanliness is a priority for the trust to minimise the risk of infection. Revised procedures were put in place following this complaint."