A GRIEVING family were horrified to receive a letter from Southend Hospital asking how their mother rated her stay in hospital – a week after she died Joan Parry who lived in Westcliff, died at the hospital, at the end of April due to complications with an infection in her leg.

Her son, Colin Latimer, 45, who lives in Three Bridges, Crawley, was disgusted when he received a letter addressed to his late mother, asking how her stay in hospital was – dated three days after her death.

He said: “We received the letter asking her to fill out a survey about how she found her stay in the hospital in January.

“She died on April 23 and the letter was dated April 26. We received it a couple of days later.

“I think it is absolutely disgusting. We know human error happens, but no checks have been done prior to this coming out.”

This is not the first time Southend Hospital has sent out incorrect and inappropriate letters.

Last month 68-year-old Daniel Powell, of Kiln Road, Thundersley, was bemused to receive a letter addressed to him, but containing details of a woman’s medical condition.

Days earlier Charlene Debeno, 22, of London Road, Benfleet, also received a letter with details of another patient’s medical condition.

Mr Latimer said he wanted to raise the problems he had with the hospital after reading about the other two cases.

Carly Harrison, hospital spokeswoman, said: “We would like to apologise to Mr Latimer and assure him we will be investigating the matter fully.”