Bereaved daughter's anger at NHS

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A woman who complained about her father's treatment after he died in a Devon hospital has said she is furious the NHS has denied any wrongdoing.

Jennifer Leach's complaints prompted an inquiry after her father, Stan Rogers, died at Whipton Hospital in 2005.

Mrs Leach accepted £5,000 to settle her case but is distressed there has been no acknowledgement of fault.

In April 2008, Devon Primary Care Trust apologised to her for the substandard nursing her father had received.

A similar apology was given to two other bereaved families.

Mr Rogers died after falling and breaking his hip while he was a patient at Whipton Hospital.

I feel it's the final insult to my father, who at the end of the day, lost his life at that hospital Jennifer Leach

His daughter's complaints about various aspects of his care were upheld by the Healthcare Commission and an independent investigation was ordered.

Following the review, the PCT report said persistent staff shortages at the community hospital had a significant impact on the ability to provide a high standard of care.

There was also evidence of leadership failings, patients not always being given appropriate support for feeding and some families left feeling their concerns were ignored by staff.

More than 30 recommendations were made and a new matron appointed and the trust's chief executive wrote letters of apology to Mrs Leach and two other families.

Mrs Leach, however, pursued her case legally seeking more answers about what happened to her father.

Mrs Leach's letter from the NHS Litigation Authority denied wrongdoing

The NHS has offered a settlement, but denied any wrongdoing.

"On the one hand I have a letter from Dr Snee [the PCT chief executive] saying 'hands up yes, this should never have happened and we've made all these changes'," Mrs Leach told BBC News.

"On the other hand I have a letter from the NHS litigation authority saying 'sorry no, this never happened'."

NHS Devon said all the recommendations put forward by the Healthcare Commission had been implemented.

"The chief executive has apologised personally for any distress caused and Mrs Leach has accepted our offer to settle without prejudice for the sum of £5,000," it said in a statement.

Mrs Leach said she settled her claim to avoid the risk of incurring prohibitive costs, but she was distressed the NHS appeared to be denying anything went wrong with her father's care.

"I feel it's the final insult to my father, who at the end of the day, lost his life at that hospital," she said.