ELDERLY patients are among the most vulnerable people in society and to read what happened to 89-year-old Hilda Carr is appalling.

Her family said she was left alone for long periods – with staff not noticing when she was dirty, or helping her to eat and drink. How could this happen in 2008?

Mrs Carr was taken to a special rehabilitation unit to get well following a fall. But instead her condition deteriorated.

Her family was outraged. She suffered dramatic weight loss and became dehydrated and confused during her five-and-a-half week stay. She died shortly after being transferred to another nursing home.

It must have been incredibly upsetting for her family to see her suffer in this way and the health trust has admitted that the situation could have been avoided.

It is good that the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has put in place an action plan to make sure that this can never happen again.

Health chiefs have admitted that they were at fault and are putting things in place to ensure things go right for future patients.

That will be of little comfort to Mrs Carr’s family. Let’s hope that lessons have been well and truly learned.