A COUPLE have lodged a complaint over what they claim was inadequate care of their son in the lead-up to his death in hospital.

Elaine and Bob Dixon say they believe son Peter Jackson, 50, was not monitored correctly to ensure he had adequate access to food and drink while at the Royal Derby Hospital.

They have submitted a formal complaint to hospital bosses about the care given to construction industry worker Mr Jackson, raising 12 questions which they want answered.

Mr Jackson, of Belper – whom his parents said was successfully fighting problems with alcohol – was admitted to the intensive care unit after suffering with breathing difficulties.

Just over a week later, he was transferred to a medical ward.

He died eight days later.

A postmortem examination revealed his death, on December 23, was caused by a form of pneumonia.

Mr Dixon, 74, said: "As we mourn the sudden death of our son, our grief is mixed with anger at what we believe was the lack of nursing care suffered by Peter.

"He died, we believe, as a result of what happened in the ward he was transferred to."

His parents said that, while in the intensive care unit, their son, of Acorn Drive, was diagnosed with pneumonia, a collapsed lung and severe dehydration and was put on a ventilator.

While on the unit, they said Mr Jackson was fed through a tube into the stomach and underwent a tracheotomy, in which a hole is put in the windpipe to help a patient breathe.

The couple said when their son's condition improved, he was transferred to a medical ward.

Mr Dixon, a retired mine technician who served in the Army for 23 years, said that when he visited the ward, he found a jug of water provided for Mr Jackson was out of his reach, and he was unable to drink unaided any way.

A sandwich was on his bedside table, but he was in no condition to feed himself.

The couple said that, when Mr Jackson's sister, Amanda Fawley, and brother-in-law, Jeff Fawley, visited him the next day, they found him lying in "soaked and stained" bedclothes – with an open beaker of tea next to him.

Mr Dixon said this was despite the fact "Peter couldn't hold a cup or drink more than a slight drop at a time".

Two days later, the couple said Mr Jackson's sister-in-law, Joanna Jackson, then found him in a "distressed state", having difficulty breathing.

They said that, when Mrs Jackson approached a member of staff for help, she was told they knew nothing about Mr Jackson because they had "just come on shift".

Mr Dixon said, after the staff member and a colleague settled Mr Jackson, his brother, Philip Jackson, tried to help him drink some water.

Mr Dixon said: "Peter's mouth was excessively dry, his tongue was discoloured, his lips flaky and he had great difficulty with swallowing."

He added: "Later on, an attendant brought a cup of tea to Peter.

"It was far too hot to drink and dangerous when a patient can't hold a cup.

"His mother had to pour half the beverage away and cool it – even so, Peter was able to drink very little."

They said, the next day, he was sent for an endoscopy – where a camera is used to give a patient an internal examination – and the doctor described his condition as "critical".

Mr Dixon said they were told that Mr Jackson was likely to haemorrhage and, if this happened, he would be "urgently returned" to intensive care.

The following day, the couple said they received a phone call telling them their son had suffered a heart attack.

They said they were told how resuscitation had been attempted, a defibrillator had been used three times and, after 12 minutes, he had been taken to intensive care.

Mr Dixon said: "The doctor told us that Peter's prospects were very poor, because he'd suffered brain damage from 12 minutes' oxygen starvation while undergoing resuscitation."

Mr Jackson, a grounds worker in the construction industry and former Thorntons employee, was put on life support but it was later decided this would be withdrawn and he died three days later.

The cause of death was given as lobar pneumonia and abscess, due to alcoholic liver disease, windpipe bleeding and intestinal ulcers.

He leaves children Hannah, 28, Holly, 25, and Tim, 22, and grandchildren Cherry, two, Candy, five months, and William, four months.

Mr Dixon said: "After life support was withdrawn, it was our duty of loving care to stand by his side, because we knew him as a company-loving chum who never liked to be alone. We could not leave him to die alone."

He added the family believe Mr Jackson did not receive the level of care, observation or nourishment that should have been granted to a patient recovering from intensive care, who had "special nursing needs".

After his death, Mr Jackson's family asked for donations to be made to the intensive care unit, where they said he received "first-class" treatment.

Mrs Dixon, 74, said: "The death of my 50-year-old son, as I cradled him in my arms, was an event that we believe should never have happened."

Brigid Stacey, director of patient experience and chief nurse at Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I can confirm that earlier this week we received a complaint from the family of Mr Jackson. We would like to sincerely apologise if the care that Mr Jackson received feel below our expectations, or failed to meet the standards that we aim for and our patients have every right to expect.

"We have acknowledged this complaint in writing to the family, and will be thoroughly investigating the matter. We have offered Mr Jackson's family the opportunity to meet with us and discuss their concerns.

"At Derby Hospitals we take all concerns about patient care extremely seriously."