HOSPITAL staff have been trained to listen to relatives after an elderly women was misdiagnosed and her family concerns were ignored.

Gwendoline Hartigan, 75, of Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath, was taken to Joyce Green Hospital on July 16 in pain and her family was told it was Alzheimers.

After three days she was diagnosed with septicaemia.

Her family was told it was in her lung but when she died three-and-a-half weeks later the post-mortem examination revealed it was in her right hip.

Following a hospital investigation, the staff from the ward were sent on a “training and development plan” to “ensure relatives' concerns made on the ward would be listened to and acted upon”.

Her daughter Pamela Holt accused staff on the ward of not listening to her relatives who kept insisting there was something wrong because her mother “kept screaming every time she was moved”.

Mrs Holt, who lives in Chiswick, said: “I could have accepted my mum dying but not the way she died.

“For three-and-a-half weeks we saw eight different doctors because a consultant was on extended leave and they all failed to diagnose the septicaemia in her hip.

“Whenever she screamed, they kept saying she couldn't move her hip because she'd had a stroke.

“I still believe she died because of their incompetence.”

A hospital spokesman said: “We are sorry to hear Mrs Holt is dissatisfied with the outcome of her complaint.

“Her concerns were fully investigated and a local resolution meeting took place.

“The trust has formally acknowledged the criticisms made and has apologised to Mrs Holt.

The spokesman added: “A training and development plan was agreed and addressed a full range of topics including those highlighted in Mrs Holt's complaint, particularly documentation and communication.”