A PENSIONER died after picking up a hospital stomach bug days before he was due to go home.

Retired pipe-fitter Harry Bishop originally went into Warrington Hospital with chest pains on April 16 but contracted superbug Clostridium difficile and died on July 10.

Like other families who have contacted the Warrington Guardian, Mr Bishop's relatives say they were never officially told he had the bug, and only knew for sure when they saw his death certificate.

"We heard a whisper he had it but we were never told," said his wife, Jean Bishop, aged 77, from Eastdale Road in Paddington.

"He had no strength whatsoever, he couldn't even bite a jelly baby he was that weak."

Mrs Bishop also said that while her husband was in hospital his food and water was put on a table out of reach when he wasn't strong enough to move it closer.

She said: "They just weren't looking after him with food. I started taking in soups. He was supposed to have milk? daily but here was never any there."

Kath Holbourn, director of nursing at North Cheshire Hospitals' NHS Trust, said: "We'd like to express our sympathy to Mrs Bishop and her family and welcome them to come to talk to us so we can investigate their concerns and answer any questions.

"We can assure patients and the public that the control and prevention of infections is at the top of our agenda.

"Any patient who develops diarrhoea while receiving, or having recently received, antibiotics is now routinely tested so we can detect Clostridium difficile early and begin treatment."

The hospital said Clostridium difficile is a naturally occurring infection that primarily affects elderly patients who are receiving antibiotics. The trust sees around 10 cases of the infection each week.

In most patients it can be easily treated but it can prove fatal for the elderly and vulnerable.

sbailey@guardiangrp.co.uk