Sprightly pensioner dies in 'zoo' hospital after 'catalogue of blunders by staff'

An active pensioner admitted to hospital for routine treatment for a stomach bug died six weeks later following a series of 'blunders' by overworked staff.

Betty Dunn, 79, was taken to Tameside General Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester, to be rehydrated with saline.

But her horrified family watched helplessly as the widow's condition deteriorated over six weeks before she died after contracting the superbug C-diff.

At one point her relatives, who battled to communicate with staff who apparently didn't speak English, were so concerned for the former Land Girl's welfare they called in police.

Doctors then transferred the great-grandmother to another hospital for 'rehabilitation'.

But when Mrs Dunn was unable to sit up she was sent straight back to Tameside. She died three days later.

Mrs Dunn's family, who call the hospital a 'zoo', compiled a log of her treatment and claim that a catalogue of errors made by staff included:

* Giving her penicillin when she was allergic to the drug
* Mistakenly denying her antibiotics
* Failing to advise relatives to wear protective gloves or aprons to guard against superbugs
* Giving her a designated food substitute three times a day - against the advice of doctors
* Breaking the news of her increasingly grave condition to relatives in a busy corridor in front of other visitors.