"Upset about my friend's care at Sunderland Royal"

I was a visitor here whilst my dear friend was a patient, he was admitted on a Friday and passed away 8 days later.

In that time he was not washed/bathed and some staff who served the drinks were more concerned about me taking my own drink onto the ward and one member of the staff told me she would take the drink from me unless I threw it away.

My dear friend called me at 1am, 3 days before he passed and was in severe pain, even though he was in a room next to the nurses station I felt he was ignored. I arrived at the hospital at 2am to be told by a nurse that he was just lonely.

His cancer pain was never under control and he was fully aware of everything going on around him. There were only 2 members of staff on night shift, and I felt they showed no compassion or empathy.

On the night before he passed he was screaming out in pain, upside down in bed covered in excrement and the bed was covered in mess, it was horrific to watch and my dear friend was mortified.

Only when I complained was anything done, he was washed and changed for the 1st time in 8 days. He passed away a few hours later.The ward staff were a disgrace to their profession, lacking basic care and compassion for their patient.