Claims that a former World War Two Land Girl from Lincolnshire
who lived into her 80s was neglected while on an NHS ward are being
investigated by the hospital.
Clara Stokes suffered a stroke in December last year and was
admitted to Luton and Dunstable Hospital in Bedfordshire.
Her daughter, Elle Chambers, from Boston, has made a series of
claims about her mother's treatment before she died on February 28,
but the hospital denies any wrongdoing.
However, it did admit that on one occasion a nurse accidentally
gave octogenarian Mrs Stokes a whole tablet to swallow when she
could only swallow crushed tablets.
The hospital's chief executive, Professor Anthony Palmer, said:
"We regret that Mrs Stokes's family have felt the need to complain
about her care in this hospital and we have apologised for any
distressing circumstances, recognising how upsetting some aspects
of personal care can be for relatives.
"While some aspects of the complaint will need to be addressed
there were no long periods when Mrs Stokes was left unattended.
"We regret that the family were unhappy with the treatment
provided to Mrs Stokes but we believe it was of a high
standard."
Land Girls were part of an organisation created during the First
and Second World Wars to work in agriculture, replacing men called
up to fight.