The heartbroken daughter of a man who died without his family by his side blames Northwick Park Hospital for her father's death.
Lester McCann, 68, of Bridges Road, Stanmore, was found dead on his bedroom floor by his distraught daughter Jayne Jennings in July this year.
The father-of-three, who had seven grandchildren, was taken to Northwick Park Hospital the previous evening with chest pains and breathing problems. He was discharged even though he was severely unwell.
Mrs Jennings is furious that the hospital did not contact her, even though she had spoken to a nurse that evening, and is demanding to know why her father was allowed to travel home alone in a taxi, which he had to call himself.
Mother-of-two Mrs Jennings, 41, of Sitwell Grove, Stanmore, said: "When I contacted the hospital by telephone to check on my father's condition I spoke to one of the nurses who confirmed he was still there. I was told that he was probably going to a ward but that they were waiting for blood tests. I asked the nurse to tell him his daughter had rung and asked if they could let me know if things changed.
"The following day I hadn't heard anything so I went round to my dad's with my three-year-old daughter to see if he was home. I discovered him dead on the floor. He had been like that for several hours. I later found out he was discharged from hospital and had to make his own way home by taxi.
"I find it difficult to accept that when my father was in such a desperate state the very place which could have helped him let him down by sending him home, resulting in him dying on his own without the people who loved him by his side."
A postmortem revealed Mr McCann, who was one of 13 children, died of respiratory failure. About 400 people attended his funeral.
Mrs Jennings said: "He was very popular and part of a well-known family in Harrow. He never would have wanted to die in this way.
"I believe if I had been called that evening he might still be alive today."
Mrs Jennings has requested to see the results of her father's blood tests taken that evening and know what his condition was when he was discharged.
A spokeswoman from The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We would like to express our heartfelt sympathies to Mrs Jennings and her family for their loss.
"Mr McCann was well known to our clinical team and they have also extended their condolences. We have investigated Mrs Jennings concerns and shared the outcome of this with her.
"Sadly, despite the efforts of staff to persuade her father to stay in hospital, he insisted that he return home. In the light of this, clinical staff arranged for a specialist nurse to see him at home and prescribed the appropriate medication."
