AN INQUIRY is underway into claims that a woman with cerebral palsy went unfed for four days and was left in soiled sheets at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Rachael Jessup, 52, who lives at the Rowantree residential centre in Minchinhampton, is unable to speak and has severe curvature of the spine, meaning she requires full time care.

Her brother Richard Jessup has now complained to the Care Quality Commission about her treatment after she was admitted to GRH in the early hours of Saturday, April 29 with respiratory problems, leading to a nine-day stay.

He says she was not fed for four days and not washed for seven.

Richard also says she was left in soiled bedding which caused ulceration to her groin, backside and legs that took nearly two weeks to heal.

As her closest family member, Richard, a former paramedic, went to the hospital to make sure she was treated correctly and that the nurses understood her needs.

When he returned with a member of the Rowantree team three days later. he became concerned about the level of care she was receiving.

“Rachael looked pale and withdrawn, she had dry cracked lips and a sore chin,” said Richard, a building surveyor who lives in London Road, Stroud.

“I noticed that she had been lying in her own urine and her gown, bed and sheets were all wet.

“She was also not on an air mattress, this is a piece of medical equipment used to reduce the likelihood of bed sores.

“It was apparent that trained nursing staff were not reading Rachael’s notes effectively, raising obvious questions about how well placed they were to fully understand her needs.

“Only when the medical team began observing myself and the Rowantree staff did Rachael begin receiving something near the expected level of care.

“However, Rachael was not washed in seven days. Her hair became greasy and she was left in her own faeces several times.”

Richard was keen to stress that his criticisms are not solely aimed at the hospital – he firmly believes that the current state of the NHS is where the problem lies.

“For me this highlights the shocking standards of care within the nursing profession,” he said.

“All but the logo of the NHS has been eroded, illustrating that Britain is becoming a second world economy.

“As services continue to get worse, we will get used to it and the decline will continue.”

In response to his concerns, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: “We are very sorry to hear about Rachael Jessup’s experience. It is always a cause of great concern when patients do not receive care of the standard we are striving to achieve.

“We are unable to comment specifically on the issues raised due to our commitment to protecting patient confidentiality. However, we will continue to work with Ms Jessup, her family and her carers to investigate the concerns raised.

“As an organisation we want to get patient experience right for everyone who interacts with our services and on occasions when things do not go as expected, it is important that we better understand why so that we can learn and improve for the benefit of future patients and families. Within this context, we are grateful the family have taken the time to raise their concerns.”