Family wins payout over care of RAF veteran

Grandfather David Jones, who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and also had dementia, was admitted to hospital nine times for treatment for blood poisoning, pressure sores and uncontrolled diabetes – twice undergoing surgery to amputate his toes.

His family have been awarded undisclosed damages running into five figures in an out-of-court settlement following the lapses in his treatment at the Lister House care home in Ripon, one of the Royal British Legion’s network of Poppy Homes for veterans, and Harrogate District Hospital in the year to July 2009. An investigation by experts found incomplete nursing records, inspections and assessments were not carried out, delays in referring him for medical and dietary assessments and poor pressure sore management.

He was moved to Kingsley BUPA nursing care home in Harrogate where he was nursed back to health and suffered no further complications. He died, aged 91, of natural causes in 2011.

His son John Jones, of Harrogate, branded his treatment “simply inexcusable”.

“I just hope that care homes and hospitals make sure they give patients their utmost attention, especially those with dementia as I would hate for anyone to suffer the pain my father did,” he said.

James Thompson, from solicitors Irwin Mitchell, said: “Unfortunately David was let down at the time he needed help most when he was a vulnerable patient suffering from dementia.

“We hope this case serves as a reminder to medical professionals and highlights that sub-
standard treatment is not acceptable.”

A Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “The trust takes patient safety extremely seriously and reviews all cases such as this to see what opportunities there are to learn from them.”

The Royal British Legion did not respond to a request for comment last night.