Another shocking example of lack of compassion in a British hospital: - ordeal of World War Two hero

Dying World War Two hero 'stripped of human dignity' by hospital care, family say
article in the Telegraph

Extract:

"The family of Brigadier John Platt, who won the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership in one of the fiercest battles of the Italian campaign, told how he was discharged from Salisbury District Hospital, unable to feed himself.

They said he was in a confused state and incontinent, after a stay which left him "degraded and humiliated".

During his five-day spell in a mixed-sex observation ward, his hearing aid was crushed, his false teeth went missing and soiled pyjamas were piled up unwashed in a locker by his bedside, they said.

Knowing he was dying after losing the ability to swallow food, he asked to go home. But no ambulance was available so he was sent in a taxi on an hour-long journey to the care home where he died a few days later.

When his family later complained about the hygiene issues around the soiled pyjamas, the hospital wrote back to say that it was unfortunate that he had been "unable to avail himself" of its laundry service.

It has since apologised to Brig Platt's family for the "unacceptable" nature of his discharge in a taxi in late 2006 and vowed to learn lessons from his ordeal."