A WIDOW whose husband cried out for water at a Worcestershire hospital the day before he died said she would like to tell an independent review of her family’s ordeal.

Laurence Hodges, aged 73, of Cotswold Rise, Evesham, cried out for water at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch the day before he died on Wednesday, January 26.

His widow Patricia, 71, said she hoped the independent review would prevent other patients suffering from poor treatment.

We reported in your Worcester News yesterday how an independent inquiry has been launched, led by Professor Janice Stevens, following a damning report into care on two wards (five and 11) at the Alex, which is managed by Worcestershire Acute Hos-pitals NHS Trust.

The report was published by the Care Quality Com-mission. Prof Stevens, the former director of healthcare acquired infections and mixed sex accommodation with the Department of Health, will report back to a working group, the shadow Council of Gover-nors and the board by the end of the month.

The investigation, paid for by the trust, will cost £10,000.

Mrs Hodges said: “Staff need to ask more questions when a patient comes into hospital. My husband was lifted up with a hoist when he already had broken ribs.

“What is upsetting is the attitude of staff towards people – that ‘I’m all right in my ivory tower’.

“The person who carries out this review needs to get out on the wards. I would like to speak to her directly and I would tell her how badly we have been failed.”

Disabled Mark Smith, 39, of Wellington Close, off St Paul’s Street, Worcester, who was discharged from the Alex in April with a pressure sore which left him bedridden, welcomed the review.

He said: “I think something needed to be done and I think they have gone the right way about it.”

Hospital bosses have revealed an oral report from CQC inspectors did not give an indication of how damning the final published report would be.

Trust chief executive John Rostill said at at meeting on Thursday: “The feedback was very conversational and even keel. We were disappointed and identified our disappointment to them, but we didn’t get the impression they were going to have major concerns.”

He said concerns of the CQC arose when comparisons were made with other trusts.

Malcolm Cooper, former chairman of the of North Worcestershire Health Authority, said: “This is a wake-up call in a big way.”