An elderly woman admitted to hospital for an x-ray contracted the deadly "superbugs" MRSA and C Difficile and died 40 days later.

Jeannie Creamer, 89, was only expected to be in hospital for a few hours when she was admitted to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton for a cracked pelvis.

More than a month later she died.

Her friend and power of attorney, Barry McDowell, 67, of Brangwyn Way, Brighton, said: "My concerns are with the state of the ward.

"It's staggering. I want to warn other families of the shortfalls at the hospital."

Mrs Creamer was taken to hospital in September 2006 after falling at Westwood Rest Home in Knoyle Road, Brighton.

Mr McDowell, a retired electrician, was originally told she would be in hospital for a few hours for an x-ray.

It transpired she had cracked her pelvis and was moved to a short-stay ward at the hospital.

After a week Mr McDowell was told Mrs Creamer was getting better and she would be moved to Brighton General Hospital for physiotherapy before being sent home.

He said: "After being in hospital for a week and a half she was fine. Then she went downhill. She had a wound on her ankle, which is where the infection is thought to have entered."

She was moved to an isolation room in Bristol Ward.

Mr McDowell said he was not told Mrs Creamer was suffering from the infections until his fourth visit to her.

As a result he had not been wearing protective clothing and is concerned he may have passed the infection on to others.

Mr McDowell said the room was inadequate and he could have reached out and touched the person in the next room through a gap in the wall.

He said: "On my fourth visit to her a doctor stopped me as I went in and asked who I was.

"I told him and he asked to speak to me in a private room. He said I should be wearing a gown before I went in to see Jeannie. He said she had the infections and would not be leaving the hospital."

Mrs Creamer's medication was stopped and she was given pain killers. She died on November 28.

Mrs Creamer had known Mr McDowell's wife since she was a little girl.

Her husband, Charles Creamer, died in 1994 and asked Mr McDowell to look after her financial affairs.

An inquest took place last year but proved inconclusive.

A second inquest was held on March 8.

Gordon Bushell, coroner's officer for Brighton and Hove Coroner's Court, confirmed Mrs Creamer died from "overwhelming infections that could not be successfully treated".

He said the infections were MRSA and Clostridium Difficile, also known as C Difficile.

Both diseases are contagious and symptoms include infected wounds which sometimes lead to blood poisoning.

They are difficult to treat as they are resistant to many strains of antibiotics.

A spokesman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Thorough handwashing is the best method of controlling the spread of infection and signs are placed throughout our hospitals reminding visitors of the importance of cleaning their hands.

"Visitors would only be advised to wear gloves and an apron if they were providing personal care, not if they were helping their friend or relative with eating.

"Staff would not share the details of a patient's illness with a visitor due to patient confidentiality, but it is normal procedure to state that someone had been isolated to minimise the spread of infection."

What are your experiences of being a patient at the Royal Sussex? Leave your comments below.