The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised concern about the way elderly people are being treated in NHS hospitals. The CQC is inspecting 100 hospitals in England, but reports from the first 12 have been published so far.

The CQC said that three hospitals have broken the law by failing to meet the crucial standards of care on dignity and nutrition. These three hospitals: the Royal Free Hospital in London, the Alexandra Hospital in Worcestershire and Ipswich Hospital have been given 28 days to bring significant improvement in their care standards.

At Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, CQC inspectors found that patients were left in night clothes all day and were not taken to the toilet away from where they slept. Some patients were put to bed at 6pm even if they did not want to.

At the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, West London, CQC inspectors found that staff did not always make sure that elder patients had enough to eat and drink or not. Food and fluid charts of the hospital were inaccurate and were not updated.

At the Alexandra Hospital in Worcestershire, inspectors found serious nutritional problems. The patients were not served food properly and timely.