The family of a disabled man who died after not being given any food for nine days whilst being treated in an NHS hospital has told ITV News, “we thought he was having nutrition… but as it turns out, they were starving him.”
This comes as an ITV News investigation has revealed a crisis in the care of learning disabled and autistic people.
Bereaved families of people with learning disabilities have told ITV News they believe their children died due to failures in NHS learning disability care.
Adrian Poulton, 56, had Down syndrome and was admitted to Poole Hospital in September 2021 with a broken hip after a fall at his care home.
His hip was on the mend, but he was incorrectly listed as ‘nil by mouth’ by doctors during his time in hospital and was fed nothing for nine days.
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