A WEST Devon resident and former mayor of Tavistock has settled a claim against Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust for failing to provide wheelchair-friendly toilets in a ward.

Marjorie Corner is now campaigning to ensure the Trust carries out improvements promised in all their hospitals.

Mrs Corner, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, needed to have a toilet accessible to wheelchair users during her stay at Derriford Hospital in March 2007 — but on her ward, there were none.

She said: 'As someone who had been admitted for a complete bowel evacuation prior to a colonoscopy, this proved to have a hugely detrimental effect on the standard of care I received.

'It was ghastly, they did not have a suitable commode so I was left in my bed. This wasn't the nursing staff's fault, but it resulted in my lying in my own waste for three days.'

Mrs Corner spent months writing to Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust's chief executive about the situation.

She said: 'I spoke to the Disability Rights Commission who offered conciliation to the hospital but received no response and they advised me to take court action.

'The more I discovered about the hospital's practices the more appalled I became. It soon became clear that all but one of the wards had no disabled toilet facilities.

'I did not pursue the case for myself but because I was disgusted with the lack of basic facilities available, the basic human rights for disabled people, abandoned by the area hospital.'

Last month, on July 1 District Judge Daniel at Bristol County Court, Greyfriars, approved an order agreed between the parties.

The Trust agreed to apologise and pay Mrs Corner damages in settlement for her claim for discrimination and breach of human rights. The Trust also agreed to ensure the current refurbishment programme will provide a wheelchair accessible toilet on each inpatient ward, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Mrs Corner said: 'Our main hurdle is still to clear, as the hospital has not yet committed to speeding up the improvements of their toilet facilities but with the help of the Avon and Bristol Law Centre we shall carry on. This is for every disabled person in the east of Cornwall and nearly half of Devon.'

A spokesperson for the Avon and Bristol Law Centre, who acted for Mrs Corner, said: 'I am glad the Trust recognised they needed to settle this case but I am still concerned. I hope they implement the changes they agreed to make as quickly as possible to ensure there are accessible toilets on every ward.

'If a disabled person considers they have experienced disability discrimination, they should seek further advice about challenging that discrimination.'

A spokesperson for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'We can confirm the Trust has settled this case for £7,000 plus the claimant's legal expenses.

'We are disturbed to learn that Mrs Corner claims to have sat for three days in her own waste at this hospital. This claim was never stated in any of her various letters to the hospital and was not brought to our attention at the time. The Trust, therefore, cannot accept at this stage of events that this has happened.

'This case was settled on the basis of discrimination and breach of human rights and that alone. The ward where Mrs Corner received her care did not offer wheelchair access to a suitable toilet and we regret the distress this caused. We have apologised to Mrs Corner and representatives from our nursing staff and complaints team worked closely together with Mrs Corner in 2007 to identify shortcomings and address this issue.

'The Trust is currently undertaking a full refurbishment programme. A number of ward areas have already been upgraded and now have facilities for patients with a disability. This work will continue on other ward areas over the coming months and will be completed in the near future.'