Woman’s “undignified” death at Doncaster A&E

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Michelle Smith says her mother Joan Howard suffered an “undignified” death after 27 hours in Doncaster A&E, with claims of poor care, delays and lack of communication. Michelle's account reflects several of the concerns identified by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about Doncaster's A&E provision in its latest report Inspectors found patients were not consistently assessed or monitored and concerns were not always identified or escalated quickly enough, exposing people to "avoidable harm". Inspectors also identified failings around pain management, delays in treatment and inconsistent oversight of patients waiting for care. They said while the service aspired to treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion, it was challenged in respecting their privacy and dignity due to pressures on the department. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH), which runs the A&E, acknowledged there was room for improvement. A trust spokesperson said: "We take any concerns raised seriously and are committed to learning and making changes where needed. "We are listening, we know we can do better, and we will." The spokesperson said anyone with concerns should contact the trust directly so that these can be fully investigated where appropriate.