BOSSES at Deane Barton Community Hospital at Cotford St Luke have apologised to an unnamed victim’s family for ‘shortcomings in care’.

And a ‘small number of staff’ have been disciplined for ‘unacceptable’ verbal abuse of a patient.

The staff involved were suspended as an investigation was launched after serious allegations were made last August about the patient’s care on the rehabilitation ward.

But hospital chiefs have declined to give specific details of the abuse and have not said how many workers were disciplined or how they were punished – sanctions could range from verbal or written warnings to dismissal.

Andy Heron, chief organising officer at Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Deane Barton, has met the family, along with trust director of patient care Dawn Dawson.