"Ward 30 No dignity even in death"

This is very difficult for us to write, our father who should have been receiving gold standard end of life care was left abandoned in a side room after death with less dignity and care than a carcass of an animal left by the road side. This is a gross affront to humanity and deeply distressing for us to witness. When family members arrived we found our dear old dad in a state of disarray, having recently died not one member of staff attended to him, he was contorted, sweaty, his limbs had not been straightened and his mouth was gaping open. His bed coverings were not changed or tidied. our distress was too much to bear. A nurse told us that they didnt know how to attend to what they call last offices and that there were no staff on duty on Ward 30 who were able to do this. They told us to call the doctor who told us that this is a nursing staff job. We requested to speak with the duty manager or matron but were told that no one was available to speak with us. I also requested that the safeguarding team be contacted so that they could see for themselves the hideous sight before us again we were told that no one is available out of normal working hours. It seems it is not possible to raise safeguarding concerns at the LRI. I left the ward briefly and to be honest felt like calling the police in our desperation . What has happened to the new NMC Code of Conduct how can any nurse refuse to give end of life care and refuse to touch the dead. This is an affront to all that we hold dear our father was more to us than an animal carcass and we will never accept that his treatment was not a violation of his basic human right to dignity and reverence in death. You have caused us great distress but in a hospital where no one has the compassion and courage to speak out what chance do the most vulnerable patients have. Shame on you all