Dying woman ‘was left lying in own faeces’ by hospital nurses

Published: 2 April 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

SENIOR medical staff have “categorically” denied claims that a 74-year-old woman was left lying for hours in her own urine and faeces while being treated in hospital.

The family of Brenda Wright, of Lowman Road, made the allegations against staff at University College Hospital during an inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Tuesday.

Ms Wright, a mother-of-seven from Holloway, died from heart disease in September after spending six months in the Bloomsbury hospital following emergency surgery on her bowel.

During the inquest her daughter Violet Beebe, a legal secretary, claimed her mother, who was completely immobile and incontinent, was left alone in “extreme discomfort and pain” for long periods of time. 

Ms Beebe said she had become so concerned about the care given by one particular agency nurse that she made an official complaint.

“My mother seemed to be becoming quite withdrawn, and she was usually a fiery, resilient woman,” she told the court. “I asked her what was the matter and she told me the nurse was rough with her.”

An investigation was carried out by divisional manager Costa Gonzalez at the request of Islington social services, but the inquest heard he found no evidence to support the allegations. In his report Mr Gonzalez recommended the nurse undertake further training in moving and handling.

Natalie Huxtable, a nurse manager at UCLH, said: “My nurses would never knowingly leave a patient in a pool of faeces and urine.”

But she added: “Any delay in treating the patient may have been due to nurses waiting for the family to be present at the patient’s request.”

Coroner Dr Andrew Reid acknowledged the family’s complaints but ruled they did not contribute to Ms Wright’s death. Recording a verdict of natural causes, he said: “Although there are a number of alleged adverse incidents, I’m not persuaded they need to be investigated further. I don’t think they can be viewed as causative or contributory factors.”

Speaking outside the court, three of Ms Wright’s daughters paid tribute to the “fiercely independent” grandmother and great-grandmother.

Ms Beebe said: “She had a heart of gold. She had shoulders like scaffolding that you could lean on. Whatever your problem was she would always have a smile and a sympathetic ear.”

Daughter Doreen Wright added: “It was very difficult for her to accept that she was ill. She was totally reliant on the care system and it let her down.”

A spokeswoman for UCLH said in a statement: “While we have every sympathy with Mrs Wright’s family, there was never any question of the patient being left alone for long periods. This was a challenging case, even for a unit which deals with some of the most complicated abdominal procedures in the country. 

“We understand that the nature of Mrs Wright’s condition was distressing for her and her family. Nonetheless, UCLH maintains Mrs Wright received the appropriate care for her condition and medical history.”