I WISH to respond to the comments by Dr D Heseltine ('Article hits morale', Letters, June 15). The article concerned my late mother.

I was saddened, hurt and disgusted to read that he thought your front page article on my mother's hospital care was insensitive. Well, Dr Heseltine, I'll tell you what I find insensitive - my mum dying in full view of everyone with no mention of a side ward for 36 hours.

And being told by a nurse that there were too many people around her bed, and: "Your mother's not the only person on this ward." Do you not find this insensitive, Dr Heseltine?

Oral care was given only once to my mother, I myself had to carry this out. My mother was not turned, despite having suffered a stroke and was unconscious. Despite having asked for a fan, our request was not met. Because of the nature of our mum's illness she was sweating profusely. Do you not think that it was insensitive that we had to keep our dying mum cool by fanning her with newspapers?

Do you also think it acceptable that a nurse turned the TV on? Football was on at the time, at full blast. We were very distressed by this, my mum was lying only feet away for God's sake.

It was a poor excuse to say it was put on to alleviate the distress of the other patients. How many old women do you know who enjoy watching football at full blast? As for your comment on the agreed complaints procedure, we did, as you must know, follow this and felt your explanation was unacceptable.

Don't blame the press, do something about it!

However, I can't fault the night staff who looked after mum in her last hours on the night of April 19.

Maureen Parr,

Buckland View,

Newton Abbot, Devon.

Updated: 10:48 Tuesday, June 19, 2001