A man whose wife died at Barnet Hospital has received an apology from hospital bosses after a series of complaints he made were upheld by the Health Service ombudsman.

Patrick Baker, of Newton Walk, Edgware, whose wife Valerie suffered from Lupus, chronic lung disease, renal failure and poor liver function, asked the ombudsman to investigate his claims that Mrs Baker's care and treatment at the hospital, in November and December 2004, was inadequate.

The ombudsman upheld Mr Baker's complaints that there was a lack of assessment and planning for all of Mrs Baker's care needs both in the accident and emergency department (A&E) and in Palm Ward where she stayed, and that there was a lack of support for them both upon her discharge.

It also found that staff did not keep Mr Baker properly informed about his wife's illness or progress and that doctors failed to adequately discuss with him their decision not to resuscitate her should she suffer a heart attack. Mrs Baker died on December 11, 2004 from bleeding lungs.

The ombudsman's report states: "Whilst I accept that nursing staff were trying to care for Mrs Baker in very difficult circumstances, I find that the standard of nursing records was below the standard one would expect, in that there was a lack of assessment of Mrs Baker's needs and a lack of appropriate care planning."

Mr Baker said: "I am disgusted with the way my wife was treated. I don't want Valerie to have died in vain. She meant everything to me. I hope the hospital is going to make severe changes and take on board the ombudsman's recommendations."

But the ombudsman rejected Mr Baker's complaints that his wife did not receive appropriate medical treatment during her second admission to the hospital or that she had been injured when a blood sample had been taken.

A hospital spokesman said it had written to Mr Baker to apologise for its failings, adding that the hospital had implemented all the ombudsman's recommendations and that the shortcomings mentioned in the report were being addressed.