A TELEVISION presenter has criticised a North-East hospital hospital for its “insensitive” treatment of her ill father.

Selina Scott, has blasted The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, in her forthcoming book A Long Walk in the High Hills, which has been serialised in the Daily Mail.

The 57-year-old, who lives on a farm in North Yorkshire, is famed for being one of Britain’s bestknown news presenters.

Ms Scott said that her father, who has not been named, was put in the “deeply depressing” lung ward at James Cook, as there was no room for him in neurology.

“This had a devastating effect as he watched in horror every patient in every bed around him die,” she said. “That was a bad omen. We had to go in and rescue him.”

Ms Scott also said that an unnamed consultant surreptitiously asked her to use her celebrity to raise funds for the heart unit.

“My father’s death sentence had just been pronounced and I was being invited to try to persuade hospital supporters to contribute medical equipment the NHS should have provided,” she said. “I felt like being sick. I couldn’t believe such insensitivity.”

Simon Playdell, chief executive of South Tees NHS Trust, said: “Clearly we are very concerned about the issues Ms Scott has raised as the care, dignity and respect of patients and their families is of paramount importance to us at all times.

“The trust has not been contacted by Ms Scott directly, so this is the first time we have learned of her concerns, but we will investigate the issues she has raised about her father’s care.”

Ms Scott’s father was transferred to Scarborough General Hospital, where he died aged 81, which is also heavily criticised in her book, to be published next month.