A PATIENTS’ watchdog is urging people who have lost loved ones unexpectedly in local hospitals to blow the whistle on substandard care.

Paul Mainwaring, of patients’ group Link, is asking bereaved families to report their stories from the past 12 months.

It comes after a meeting organised by campaign group Cure The NHS during which bereaved families and medical experts debated care in NHS hospitals.

About 70 campaigners from Cure The NHS North West attended the lively meeting at the Red Hall Hotel, Ramsbottom, on Thursday.

The group, which was set up in the wake of the mid- Staffordshire hospital scandal, questioned an expert panel about patient treatment.

John Roddy, of Kearsley, spoke about the unexpected death of his wife Mary Roddy, aged 78, at Royal Bolton Hospital following a routine knee operation.

Mrs Roddy was admitted to the Beaumont Hospital, in Chorley New Road, for surgery in June last year.

She started to experience problems following the operation and was transferred to the Royal Bolton the next day, but died eight days later. At the meeting, Mr Roddy, of Mossfield Road, said he believed she was not cared for properly at Beaumont, which takes NHS patients.

Prof Sir Brian Jarman, of Imperial College, London, answered concerns over higher than expected death rates in some North West hospitals, including Bolton.

Sue McMillan, North West regional director of the Care Quality Commission and David Fillingham, former Royal Bolton chief executive, were also on the panel.

Dr Ruth Jameson, Pennine Acute Trust medical director, but organisers received a letter from the Pennine Acute Trust saying she woud not be attending because it felt it was “not the meeting they had agreed to” because it was “designed to be confrontational, not constructive”.

After the meeting, Mr Mainwaring said: “If we want to make changes we need the information now.

“Without being disrespectful to those who have lost someone in the past, we need to hear complaints from the last six to 12 months.

“It’s crucial people have a say to ensure the NHS is run for the people by the people.

“We need them to have the confidence that when they complain, something will be done. If they come to Link, their identities will be protected, but their evidence will be used to improve the NHS.”

To contact the Link: email admin@burylink.org or call 0161 253 6300.