WESTON General Hospital’s chief executive has slammed the ‘totally unacceptable’ care shown by staff following last week’s highly critical report.

Nick Wood played down the severity of the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) findings to the media last week after Weston Area Health NHS Trust was handed two formal warnings, but issued a strongly-worded letter to all staff.

He publicly said there were ‘isolated incidents’ of poor care and contradicted one doctor’s claim the patients were put at risk.

However following the CQC’s publication he wrote to staff to criticise the ‘terrible impact’ patients had suffered.

One patient told inspectors they had soiled themselves because no-one would take them to the toilet, while another said they felt ‘frozen’ because of a lack of sheets.

On one occasion an inspector had to tell a nurse to take an older patient to the toilet after their requests for help had been ignored.

Poor record keeping also meant staff could not always be certain if or when patients had been given food or water.

Mr Wood’s letter said: “The CQC raised significant concerns regarding the care we deliver here at Weston.

“I was extremely shocked and concerned by the feedback from the CQC.

“I know the pressure we had all been under during the prolonged winter but the lack of dignity and care shown to some patients is totally unacceptable.

“Having spoken to many of you over the past few weeks, I know that you are as shocked and concerned as I am about any lapses in the privacy and dignity.

“This has a terrible impact on our patients and our organisation and does not give a true picture of the really great care that staff at Weston deliver.”