Woman 'left in waste' in hospital

The hospital had only one ward with a wheelchair accessible toilet

A woman who says she lay in her own waste for three days at a hospital has received £7,000 in compensation.

Marjorie Corner, 70, from Tavistock, was admitted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon, in March 2007.

She needed a wheelchair-accessible toilet because of multiple sclerosis but her ward did not have any.

The Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said it was not informed about the waste issue and had settled the case on the basis of a breach of human rights.

I did not pursue the case for myself but because I was disgusted with the lack of basic facilities available Marjorie Corner

Mrs Corner had been admitted to hospital for a bowel examination.

She said: "It was ghastly, they did not have a suitable commode so I was left in my bed. This wasn't the nursing staff's fault but it literally resulted in my lying in my own waste for three days."

As well as it emerging that no suitable commode was available, she discovered that the hospital had only one ward with a wheelchair accessible toilet.

She said: "I spoke to the Disability Rights Commission who offered conciliation to the hospital but received no response and they advised me to take court action.

"I did not pursue the case for myself but because I was disgusted with the lack of basic facilities available, the basic human rights for disabled people, abandoned by the area hospital."

Discrimination basis

A spokesperson for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We are disturbed to learn that Mrs Corner claims to have sat for three days in her own waste at this hospital.

"This claim was never stated in any of her various letters to the hospital and was not brought to our attention at the time. The trust, therefore, cannot accept at this stage of events that this has happened.

The trust added: "This case was settled on the basis of discrimination and breach of human rights and that alone.

"The ward where Mrs Corner received her care did not offer wheelchair access to a suitable toilet and we regret the distress this caused.

"We have apologised to Mrs Corner and representatives from our nursing staff and complaints team worked closely together with Mrs Corner in 2007 to identify shortcomings and address this issue."