NHS moved Royal Navy veteran, 94, 13 times between five hospitals in the final weeks of his life

A 94-year-old Second World War veteran was made to move between hospitals 13 times in the final 10 weeks of his life, his family have revealed as they criticised his care.

Reg Thompson was first admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary after he fell at home on December 21 last year. He died at Kettering General Hospital on March 2.

During the 10 weeks between those dates, he spent time at five different hospitals on 11 different wards - some for just a matter of hours.

In total he travelled 158 miles moving from one hospital to another.

Brian Winterton, Mr Thompson's nephew, said: "If you suggested this as a storyline in a soap it wouldn't get through, it's just so unbelievable."

The other hospitals Mr Thompson received care at include Leicester General Hospital, Melton Mowbray Hospital and St Luke's Hospital, in Market Harborough.

After being sent home following treatment for his fall, when it also emerged he had a chest infection, he ended up back in hospital with pneumonia and was then sent between other hospitals.

Mr Thompson lived in Oadby, Leicestershire, for 59 years and served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He never married or had children but had a close relationship with his late sister's family, nephew Brian and nieces Jill Insley and Christine Clapham.

The family have since made a complaint to University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Brian said: "Every time he was admitted to a different place they talked about getting him back to the base line, how he had been when he came in, but he was getting worse every time he moved."

Moira Durbridge, director of safety and risk at Leicester's Hospitals said: "We would like to offer our condolences to Mr Thompson's family.

"We have received a complaint from Mr Thompson's niece with concerns about his care and we are currently looking into all of the issues that have been raised with us.

"It is very complex and involves many areas in our organisation, as well as two other organisations. His family can be assured that we take their concerns very seriously and will be responding to them in detail once we have finished our investigation."

She added: "We would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Mr Thompson's family to discuss the concerns they have already raised with us, and any others that they may have should they wish to do so."

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, the organisation in charge of the county's community hospitals, added: "Our sincere condolences to Mr Thompson's family.

"We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with the family so that we can investigate it."