WITH regard to your article about cuts to bed-blocking wards, how can they make more cuts?

My mother-in-law was on one of these wards.

At times there were no regular nurses on the ward.

During handover periods no nurses checked her four-bedded bay for at least an hour-and-a-half.

When she was unwell we were unable to speak to her nurse by phone, and after several calls sent somebody in to the hospital.

It took three-and-a-half hours to find out how she was.

Mother passed away before she could be moved to rehabilitation.

It was a shame her last few weeks were not a pleasant experience.

Although we could not really fault the medical care, the nursing care on her ward seemed at times abysmal. Complaints had no effect.

We were told by the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that we had good reason to complain through them.

They said they would get back to us in about four weeks.

It is more than seven weeks now and they have not returned any of our four calls asking for an update.

It is on behalf of patients unable to speak for themselves that we decided to make a fuss.

Given the service from PALS so far, could the Trust have already cut staff there too and are they considering axing that whole office as well?

That is an excellent way to stop patients or relatives from complaining!

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