A ROW over the treatment of an elderly patient at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital has taken a fresh turn.

Hampshire Hospitals’ NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, is applying for legal permission to make decisions over the future care of 88-year-old dementia patient Rose Sweetman, from South Wonston.

The trust has applied for permission to apply for the Court of Protection to make decisions on Mrs Sweetman’s behalf. Her husband Leonard, 93, has criticised her general care at the hospital, including an incident where she was discharged at 11.30pm, despite being blind in one eye and having no money on her.

The couple’s daughter, Anita Welsh, who lives in Canada, has been corresponding with the hospital on her father’s behalf for months, and is shocked at this new action.

Mrs Welsh, 70, said: “They intend to go to court to get jurisdiction over my mother. I think this is going to be the death of my father from the shock of it. He is already stressed out by this.”

Mr Sweetman, of Wright’s Close, said: “I’m very shocked. The thing is I don’t know what to do anymore. I think it’s a cost-cutting exercise to get my wife out of the hospital.

“My daughter says if things keep on like this we should go over to Canada. The one big mistake I think I made is I should have emigrated over there with my family.”

The Court of Protection (COP) makes decisions and appoints deputies to act on behalf of people who are unable to make decisions about their personal health, finance or welfare.

In a letter to Mrs Welsh, trust chief medical officer Andrew Bishop said that Mrs Sweetman needed care but could not remain in hospital indefinitely and so the trust was applying to the COP in her interest.

He said: “I understand that this is a very difficult and distressing situation for you and your father and I would like to reassure you that we, like you, only wish what is in the best interest of your mother.”

A hospital spokesman said: “We cannot comment on individual patients.

“Our role is to act in the best interests of patients while they are in hospital.

As part of this, we will coordinate the interaction between interested parties in post-hospital care.”