Woman says mum was 'begging for her life in Stafford hospital'

The woman who led the campaign to expose poor standards of care at Stafford Hospital has told how her elderly mother was left "begging for her life" after being admitted to one of the wards.

Julie Bailey has today published a book telling the inside story of the NHS scandal - which has been blamed for the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of patients.

From Breaks Cafe in Stafford, headquarters of Cure the NHS, Julie Bailey fought to reveal what went on for years at Stafford Hospital.

On the death of her 86-year-old mother, Bella, she tells Central Tonight:

She tells the story in a book called From Ward to Whitehall - the Disaster at Mid-Staffs.

It's about how a group of relatives raised concerns and eventually had the whole affair investigated by public inquiries.

She says:

Julie Bailey says her book exposes the "appalling state" of the complaints procedure within the NHS. And she says it reveals how everybody she tried to raise concerns with "didn't want to listen".

"They were totally in denial," she says.

Statement from Lyn Hill-Tout, Chief Executive at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust :