A daughter who was told her father had a year to live, but died four days later, has spoken of the family’s experience at Whipps Cross Hospital.

Kenneth Charles Lowe of Chaucer Road, Walthamstow, was admitted to the Leytonstone hospital’s A&E department on three occasions between October and December 2013.

His daughter Christine Dudley, of Heathcote Grove, Chingford, said staff did all the possible scans but said his organs were fine and sent him home on "food supplements".

He was rushed to A&E again on Christmas Eve and transferred to Peace Ward, a ward for stroke rehabilitation, despite him complaining of stomach pains.

Mrs Dudley made an official complaint to the hospital regarding his treatment and told them of the family's concerns in his rapid deterioration of health.

She said: "Staff dismissed his symptoms and questioned his admission to A&E, sending him home on painkillers. 

"He was then put in a room on his own and if he needed a member of staff he had to throw something in to the corridor to get someone’s attention." 

Mrs Dudley and her mother Ellen Lowe were told of Kenneth's cancer after overhearing a conversation between the doctor and his registrar in the corridor.

The family were told on January 1 2014 Mr Lowe had cancer in three places – the liver, lung and stomach, and had "just under a year to live", but died four days later in hospital.

"The staff were blinkered. The signs were all there but they kept on checking his heart.

"Some of the nurses wanted to help us, to tell us extra information but would not interfere because they were so worried about losing their job.

"I do not want anyone else to have the experience we have had," added Mrs Dudley.

In November, she received a generic response to her first complaint, but was told there was "no record" of a second complaint made two days after her father’s passing.  

She is now in the process of submitting the complaint again. 

"One year on and I am reliving the experience again".

But a spokesman for Barts Health said Mrs Dudley was sent a response to her complaint in September.  

He said: "We would like to apologise to Mrs Dudley for the care her father, Kenneth Lowe, received while under our care.

"We conducted a full investigation into the individual points raised as part of Mrs Dudley’s second complaint. The findings were formally presented to Mrs Dudley in September last year."

In a new series on the NHS, the Guardian will feature experiences of patients, their families and staff of treatment provided across east London and west Essex. As A&Es continue to struggle with demand and politicians argue over the future of healthcare, we will publish first-hand accounts, features and news stories on the latest developments. We want to hear from you if you have something to say about your local hospital, GP surgery, or clinic. Click here for contact details of reporters covering your area. Alternatively, you can submit a story here.