Robbed of his dignity Robbed of respect

The late Frank Iberson, before his illness took hold

Left lying in faeces; lost from a ward; found wandering in the road in his nightwear by police, RN veteran was left unwashed for days and discharged in smelly clothes

THESE are just some of the accusations a devastated family is levelling at the Royal Oldham Hospital over the care given to a husband, father and Royal Navy veteran — Frank Iberson.

His distraught widow, Irene, and her family have made a formal complaint to the hospital, and have spoken out publicly in the hope of preventing anyone else going through the same ordeal.

Mrs Iberson (74) of Grotton, said: “My much-loved husband could not speak up for himself because he was too ill with Alzheimer’s and myelofibrosis (a bone marrow condition).

“So I and the rest of my family will speak for him, with the hope that hospital management will be forced to improve the way they treat vulnerable patients.

“The level of Frank’s hygiene was disgusting, he was left stained and smelly and with bleeding sores caused by him being left dirty.

“The images of him in hospital during those last few days will haunt me forever.”

Mr Iberson was admitted regularly for blood transfusions, and his widow said each time she sent in clean underwear and pyjamas and reminded nurses her husband had Alzheimer’s, he remained unwashed and his clean clothes lay untouched in his locker.

In the summer of 2010, she received a phone call saying her husband was missing, yet staff joked to the worried family that he had “probably gone looking for the pub.”

On another occasion Mrs Iberson found her husband distressed because he needed the toilet but unable to go because he was hooked up to machines.

“He was discharged the following day, still wearing the same, badly stained, clothes. He smelled so bad, and his bottom was sore,” said Mrs Iberson.

“If a baby or child had been left in this state — essentially tied to the chair and in soiled clothes — it would rightly be called abuse.

“To my family, and any compassionate person, it is no less abusive when it happens to a vulnerable, elderly person.”

Mr Iberson, who had three children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, eventually needed 24-hour care and he was moved to a care home.

“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but the staff at Oakdene Nursing Home were wonderful. They treated him with compassion and maintained his dignity,” said Mrs Iberson.

On October 5 last year he had to be admitted to hospital, and when he was discharged the following day, the thin and frail 80-year-old arrived at Oakdene by ambulance wearing only thin pyjamas, which were soiled, and missing the warm dressing gown he was wearing when admitted.

Mrs Iberson said: “Frank died 13 days later (October 19, 2011). I will never forgive the hospital for the way they treated him, and I thank God that he didn’t die in there.

“Staff did not treat Frank as a person worthy of their time. He took great pride in himself before being stricken with Alzheimer’s, and hospital staff ignored his right to be treated with dignity and respect.

“No person should have to experience such humiliation. Maybe speaking out will help initiate changes in hospital policy. And maybe it will stop the horrible flashbacks I keep having of my dear husband being tossed out of the hospital, cold and dirty, in the final days of his life.”

His son, Peter Iberson (52) of Delph, said: “My father was treated like garbage and my mother still cries about it every day.

“I have seen reports of other people treated in a similar manner, and I don’t believe this is an isolated incident.

“There was no compassion shown to my father, yet anyone need only look at him to see he needed help.”

*The family is the second to approach the Oldham Chronicle in the last month following concerns over the way an elderly relative was treated at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The Chronicle featured the late Miriam Morgan’s story on December 29 after her family spoke out about the “neglect and lack of dignity” suffered by the 88-year-old.


How the Trust responded
Marian Carroll, Director of Nursing for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said:

We wish to offer our sincere condolences to Mr Iberson's family. We are extremely sorry and concerned to hear about the matters they have raised in relation to some of the care provided at our hospital.

We have this week received a formal complaint and will work with the family in ensuring that their concerns and all aspects of Mr Iberson's care are thoroughly investigated.

Maintaining patient safety and high standards of patient care remain our top priority across all our hospitals.

We regret any incident or case that gives rise to a complaint by a patient or their family and the distress this can cause.

We always look into the circumstances surrounding any complaint where there may be lessons to be learned in the way care and treatment is provided.”