A FRAIL pensioner was moved from one hospital to another 13 miles away without his family being told.

Eric Winsper was being treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after suffering a heavy fall at home in Lancing.

The 97-year-old was visited by at least one member of his family every day to check on his progress.

Plans were being made to transfer him to Worthing Hospital once he was stable so he could be closer to home.

However his daughter-in-law Elsa Gillio was shocked when she arrived on the ward on Wednesday only to find another patient in Mr Winsper’s bed.

She said: “We asked a nurse where Eric was and she was vague and said she thought he was sent to Worthing.

“I asked to speak to the ward manager and waited a while for him to speak to me.

“He told me that Eric had indeed gone to Worthing on Tuesday night after we had visited him.

“I asked why no one had informed the family and he said he wasn’t on duty so didn’t know. He really wasn’t interested and made no attempt to explain or take me into the office to apologise.

“We had been happy with everything being done for him up to then but they really let themselves down with this.

Mr Winsper’s daughter Heather Doo, who lives in Lancing, said the Royal Sussex had her mobile number but she had not been called.

She said: “Although he is good for his age, it left him confused and because we didn’t know he had been transferred he ended up not having any visitors on the Wednesday as none of us could get there before visiting hours ended.

“We are a loving family and have been visiting every day because we know he likes that continuity.

“Suddenly not having someone around was confusing for him.

“He ended up asking staff at Worthing to call me because he didn’t understand what was happening.

“I just think it was a bit of an unkind thing to do.

“We understand hospitals are busy and patients need to be moved.

“But to have him travelling from one place to another without any family ready to meet him at Worthing was upsetting for him and for us.

“We have nothing but praise for the treatment and care while he was in hospital.

“However I cannot believe this actually happened.”

A spokesman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We recognise the importance of keeping families informed and we apologise for any distress this may have caused.

“We are responding to the family and investigating the concerns they have raised.”