A woman who claims her elderly mother was neglected while in hospital is demanding an apology.

After falling and fracturing her hip in two places, 92-year-old Frances Mons McCaw went to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford as an emergency, but had to wait four days for an operation.

During her three-week stay in hospital Mrs McCaw lost 7lbs.

Her relatives claim she was not fed, or reminded to eat even though staff were told the pensioner had dementia.

She returned to the Pelham House nursing home in Folkestone frail and with an infection, which was only discovered when she was checked over by a district nurse.

Her daughter Maureen McCaw, of Cheriton Road, said: “We want an apology and we want an assurance that this will not happen to other elderly people.

“My mother was in traction for four days. She didn’t know what was going on.

“We were told other emergencies had come in, but she was an emergency herself.

“While in hospital she was not being fed.

“Food is plonked in front of elderly people who can’t feed themselves and there’s no one there to help them.”

Mrs McCaw said her mother was not encouraged to do vital exercises following her operation and that her mobility and general health has been permanently affected as a result.

She said: “I attribute the huge decline in my mother’s health to the William Harvey Hospital.

“I can’t do much for my mum now, but I want the hospital to realise this is going on and do something about it.”

The hospital has apologised for the delay in operating on Mrs McCaw but denied the pensioner had not been fed.

Sue Luff, lead nurse for trauma and orthopaedic services at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust, said: “We are extremely sorry that Maureen McCaw remains unhappy about the care we gave her mother at William Harvey Hospital.

“We do regret that Mrs McCaw had to wait four days for her operation. There were a high number of patients needing emergency surgery at that time and unfortunately, other patients were in greater clinical need than Mrs McCaw.

“I can reassure Maureen McCaw that I have investigated her concerns around her mother’s nutrition and I am completely satisfied that Mrs McCaw was encouraged to eat and ate regularly during her stay.”

Mrs McCaw has had one meeting with hospital bosses regarding her mother’s care but is seeking a second.