TV agony aunt Claire Rayner has attacked NHS nurses for their "cruel" and "demeaning" treatment of elderly patients in their care.

The former nurse, who now represents the Patients Association, said she was "sickened" by what has happened to some parts of her profession.

She has also called for "bad" nurses to be struck off the medical register.

One former nurse has spoken of the substandard care she received as a patient herself, adding: "It's a scary world out in the wards."

The Patients Association said one hospital had threatened it with legal action if it chose to publish the material.

Rayner said: "For far too long now, the Patients Association has been receiving calls on our helpline from people wanting to talk about the dreadful, neglectful, demeaning, painful and sometimes downright cruel treatment their elderly relatives had experienced at the hands of NHS nurses."

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