Exclusive: Patients ‘sit in their own dirt’ at nursing home

Incontinent patients are limited to three-a-day, regardless of their level of need

Elderly patients are being forced to sit in their own dirt because the NHS has put a limit on incontinence pads, it has emerged.

An outraged family member revealed to Rochdale Online how only three pads per 24 hours will be provided to any one patient regardless of their level of need.

One patient at Carders Court Nursing Home, Castleton was found wet and uncomfortable by his son, who does not want to be named, because nurses had already provided the daily limit in pads and were “simply unable” to supply any more.

The patient suffers from dementia and is unable to communicate with staff or visiting family members.

His son said: “It is not the fault of the staff here; it is the fault of the NHS and their outrageous spending limits.

“Time and time again I go to visit him and he stinks of urine, often he is wet and isn’t able to tell me about it, he just gets upset.”

He added: “It makes me very sad to think that my dad fought in the war and worked hard all his life, only to be left sat in his own dirt in his last days. It’s an eye opener, that’s for sure”.

A spokeswoman from the NHS said: “Every individual patient undergoes an assessment and they are given pads accordingly.

“There is a limit to three a day but we must remember that the health service never used to provide these pads at all. We can only provide so many”.

If there is someone in need of more, they must go through another assessment and look towards buying extra pads”.

Glennys Harrison, who runs Concept Care Shop in Rochdale said: “We sell the pads to people who want to buy them, we are not responsible for the three-a-day rule. 

"We know a lot of people are unhappy with the system as it is".

Have you had a similar experience with nursing home care? Please call the news desk on 01706 523583 or email news@rochdaleonline.co.uk