ON reading your front page article regarding Mr M Alden (June 27), I wanted to tell you my story because it is, in most parts, what happened to my wife in August 2007. My wife was admitted to hospital with heart and various other problems, which came to i
ON reading your front page article regarding Mr M Alden (June 27), I wanted to tell you my story because it is, in most parts, what happened to my wife in August 2007.
My wife was admitted to hospital with heart and various other problems, which came to include diarrhoea and sickness.
Despite my complaining and on occasions with tears of anger, no improvement of treatment was forthcoming.
She was moved to intensive care and her treatment improved immediately. Then the doctors decided to send her back to the ward. I arranged to speak to her doctor before she was moved and with my two daughters we expressed our concern at the treatment she had received in that ward. Apologies were made by the doctor and he would see what he could do to improve this. However, nothing changed and we continued to complain.
After my wife died, like Mr Alden, I felt deep sadness and, most of all, anger at myself because I thought that I had let my wife down by not creating more fuss over her treatment. I will forever feel that, although I do know who really let her down.
I'd put my concerns in writing to the hospital but to no satisfying end.
I and my family wish to pass on our sympathy to Mr Alden and his family, although we do not know him.
DAVID SETTERFIELD
Murrow
Max Alden won £12,500 compensation from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn after the death of his wife Jean. 6413BP68
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