FAMILY’S ANGER AT ‘UNDIGNIFIED’ DEATH

May 15 2008 By Debbie Spalding, West Lothian Courier

A GRIEVING pensioner slammed St John’s Hospital staff after his dead wife was left in bed for almost two hours surrounded by patients.

Andrew Skedd said his wife had also contracted MRSA at the hospital — but he wasn’t told until after she died.

He told the Courier this week: “Margaret was a beautiful woman and a very proud person, she did not deserve this.

“I have nothing to thank St John’s Hospital for.”

Former joiner Andrew (79), said he was appalled by aspects of his wife’s care.

He said frail Margaret (77), had been admitted after breaking her wrist at home and later died following a heart attack.

The great-grandfather, from Deanswood Park in Livingston, said this week: “I was told Margaret died at 6.30am on April 24 but she was still in the ward with six other women at 10 minutes past eight with no screen around her at first.

“When I asked why I was told there was nowhere else for her to go.

“I also complained that nobody telephoned me during the night to say she was dying, I would have been there right away.

“And after she died I got a report which made me so angry because I discovered she’d had MRSA in her nose and nobody had told me.

“It just went from bad to worse.”

Andrew’s daughter Margaret Wilson said she was also upset at everything that had happened to her mother between being admitted on April 14 and her death.

The 51-year-old cashier said: “I’m disgusted, it was quite a shock coming in and seeing my mum lying there surrounded by people after she’d died,

“They put curtains around us, eventually, but it’s still not nice.

“I don’t think it was a very dignified end for her and we’re not happy about the way she was treated on the whole.”

Simon Mackenzie, associate medical director for NHS Lothian, said health chiefs held a meeting with Mr Skedd and his daughter to discuss their complaints.

He explained: “They raised a number of concerns which we responded to and also issues which we will learn from.

“We will look at our current practices to ensure that we continue to improve the services we provide.

“Mrs Skedd was not ill from MRSA. One of several swabs, taken as part of routine infection control measures, showed the presence of some of the bacteria on her skin, but this does not mean that she was infected with MRSA.

“Sadly, Mrs Skedd suffered a fatal heart attack. Family members were contacted within half an hour.

“In line with normal practice Mrs Skedd’s body remained on the ward until family members were able to pay their respects.

“We would again like to express our condolences to Mrs Skedd’s family for their sad loss.”