Royal London Hospital blunder sees father-of-seven wrongly booked in for cremation
Barsey with his family members, including Yvonne, left. - Credit: Archant
Health chiefs have apologised to the family of an elderly father who had been wrongly booked in for a cremation in a blunder at the Royal London Hospital.
Barsey Spencer died at the Royal London Hospital. Picture: MIKE BROOKE - Credit: Archant
Despite Barsey Spencer, 88, being visited daily by loved ones for five months at the hospital in Whitechapel staff believed he had no family and made the booking.
In a further twist his furious family claim he was riddled with bed sores when he died from advanced Parkinson’s on March 30.
Daughter Yvonne Spencer, who lived with her father in Dalston, east London, first complained about his treatment when he developed the huge sores.
She said the eventual cremation blunder was further proof of how badly he had been looked after.
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She said: “In this day and age, in London, my father was being treated like he’s from a third world country.
Yvonne, 50, has to wait eight weeks for an update on the sores investigation, and by then her father was dead.
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The father-of-seven had a burial plot waiting for him next to his late wife and when his family were told about the mix-up they were furious as they were on good terms with his ward staff.
Barts Hospital Trust, which runs the Royal London, said: “We extend our sincerest condolences to Ms Spencer during this difficult time.
“In February Ms Spencer raised concerns about her father’s care and was supported by the ward manager who addressed the issues discussed.
“We apologise that instances of care fell below the high quality we aim to provide.”
The sores investigation will be completed at the end of April, a spokeswoman said.
It is not known how Barsey came to be booked in for cremation.
An investigation into the cremation blunder has been launched the trust.
The spokeswoman added the Royal London would “not request cremation until every avenue to trace family has been exhausted”.
