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In July, an inquest heard that a young man who died of dehydration at a leading hospital rang 999 for police because he was so thirsty.
Officers arrived at Kane Gorny's bedside, but were told by nurses that he was in a confused state and were sent away.
The footballer and runner, 22, died of dehydration a few hours later, an inquest heard in July.
Mr Gorny had survived a malignant brain tumour in 2008. The cancer affected his pituitary gland, which controls the body's mechanisms, such as fluid levels.
Part of his treatment included a course of steroids to regulate the fluid levels in his body. These drugs, however, weakened his bones and he was in hospital for a routine hip replacement.
Doctors had warned that, without regular medication to control his fluid levels, he would die.
But when he was admitted to St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London, staff ignored repeated reminders from Mr Gorny and his family to give him the tablets, and he became severely dehydrated after being refused water.
His mother told the inquest that in May 2009 she received a distressed phone call from her son, in which he said he had called the police because he was so desperate for a drink.
Shortly before he died, his mother found him delirious and saw that his medication was untouched.
Mr Gorny became more and more dehydrated and sodium levels in his blood rose.
He died of water deficit and hypernatraemia, a medical term for dehydration, three days after he was admitted to hospital.
A Department for Health spokesman said: "Quality of care, dignity and compassion should be central to the treatment of all patients, whether in the NHS or care homes.
"To ensure that this happens, and to root out bad practice, the CQC has increased the number of unannounced inspections that it undertakes, and in winter this year it will publish its findings from a series of inspections looking specifically at dignity and nutrition.
"We are also investing £140 million so that nurses can spend more time with patients, not paperwork."
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