Death by neglect: Lawsuit reveals 'normalization of cruelty' in UK health system

A UK hospital has apologized and paid a settlement following a lawsuit that revealed years of grave malpractice. The accounts of negligence included letting a patient starve to death and reports of nurses mocking patients.

UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the British press that he was “disgusted and appalled” by the scandal, which affected over 38 families in the Midlands region of the UK. He stressed that the government was working to ensure that such failings of the National Health System (NHS) are detected more quickly in future.

“The failings we uncovered were appalling – vulnerable patients were left starving and thirsty, with drinks left out of reach, buzzers ignored and people left to sit in their own waste by the very people meant to be caring for them,” said Emma Jones, a lawyer from Leigh Day & Co, who represented victims and families.

A court has ordered the hospital to pay out a total of £410,000 ($663,000) to the plaintiffs.

Alexandra hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire, has not admitted liability for the numerous accounts of malpractice, but has issued apologies to the families whose relatives suffered from neglect. Out of all 38 cases, five patients survived – the rest died in the hospital.
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