A PENSIONER called The Gazette from her hospital bed because she was unhappy about the care she was receiving.

Grace Sharp was on ward D5 when she got in touch, having spent more than four weeks there following an operation on her fractured leg and hip. The 80-year-old was admitted to hospital after she suffered a fall at her Chineham home.

She said: “I had excellent treatment in A&E. But it’s the nursing care and the care afterwards that concerned me.”

The mother-of-one claims there are not enough staff to care for patients, and said: “I have got a bell here and sometimes it takes two hours before someone comes. I ring the bell, and they know I can’t get up on my own.”

She added: “It’s either sit here and mess myself or wait and wait. There are no staff. They are busy and run off their feet.”

Mrs Sharp, who was discharged from hospital on November 15, said she was cold during her entire stay, and added: “I asked my daughter to bring me some warm clothes. I shouldn’t be cold in hospital.”

When asked if she had complained about the care, Mrs Sharp said she did not know who to complain to – which is why she contacted The Gazette.

She said: “Someone needs to speak up about this,” and added: “The nurses are lovely but they are run off their feet.”

Mary Edwards, chief executive at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We aim to provide excellent care for all our patients and are obviously concerned to hear when a patient feels this has not been entirely the case.

“There is a senior nurse in charge of every ward and we encourage patients to speak to them so that problems can be resolved while they are with us.

“We would be very happy to discuss the issues raised by this patient with her so that we can learn and improve.”