I think my dad was badly neglected at the end of life. What can I do?

My dad went into a and e in December and was diagnosed with a tumour on his kidneys. He was sent home with no care package in place and a prescription for morphine. He was told to wait for the results of the MDT. I contacted doctors in the mean time for various symptoms and kept getting told that nothing could happen until the results of the MDT were through. He became bed bound, unable to eat, confused and had difficulties going to the toilet. He got taken back into hospital after Christmas after blood results showed increased potassium (after we had asked doctors for a home visit 3 times before they agreed to come). He was given another CT scan and told he had days/weeks left to live. He died 5 days later in hospital on a respiratory ward surrounded by 5 other patients. 

No biopsy was ever taken. Urology doctors said he should never have been given the morphine he was prescribed. Doctors said the rate it had spread wasn't consistent with kidney cancer. They told us 1 day before he died that his lungs were filling with fluid. We had to ask them for pain relief for him in his last hours. We had to wet his lips with a sponge. There was no care at all. 

Something seems wrong. I think he's been badly neglected but what do I do?

Has anyone else experienced something similar? 

  • Welcome to the Cancer Chat community Lozbobby although I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. You have my sincerest and most heartfelt condolences for your loss.

    Hopefully some of our members will stop by soon to offer their support and advice but in the meantime, I hope this information we have about making a complaint will be useful. It may be worth getting in touch with PALS as well. PALS is the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and they offer free, confidential information and advice to patients, families and their carers.

    We also have a team of cancer nurses you can discuss this with on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m. They're very easy to talk to and will do all that they can to help you and your family at this very difficult time.

    We're thinking of you Lozbobby and hope you're able to get some much needed answers and closure over what happened to your dad.

    Kind regards,

    Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator