Asthma sufferer waits for 10-hours on hospital floor
Man suffering breathing difficulties endured ‘horrendous’ night
AN asthma sufferer endured an ‘horrendous’ 10-hour wait in A&E after falling ill and having breathing difficulties.
Dave Moth, 30, from Middleton, spent a night on a ‘rock hard’ floor at Royal Oldham Hospital, with staff offering no indication of when he would be seen or where he could get a drink of water or find a vending machine, his partner Becka Jackson claims.
Becka, a transport manager, had called the NHS 111 helpline after he became feverish one evening at the couple’s home in Boarshaw.
She is now calling for health bosses to make changes to take the pressure off A&E departments, believing a ‘massive’ update to the 111 service or more ‘faceto-face’ GP appointments could take the pressure off urgent and emergency care.
“If anyone said ‘I’m going to A&E in Oldham,’ I would say ‘don’t bother’ - one guy had been sat in a bed in a corridor for 20 hours,” she said.
“Yes, the NHS is free. Yes, we are very lucky. But, you know what, if I was that poorly I thought I’d die, I’d much rather be at home than lay on a bed in a corridor for 20 hours.”
The 30-year-old called 111 at around 9pm on Tuesday, June 7 and, after answering a series of questions that she describes as ‘vague,’ was told an out-ofhours doctor would call her back within six hours.
To her relief, she received a call just 40 minutes later - the couple were advised to go to A&E at Royal Oldham Hospital. On arriving at A&E just before 11pm, they reported to reception - and were asked the same questions as the 111 service and out-of-hours doctor, Becka says.
She says there was then ‘no communication whatsoever’ for patients, who were given little reassurance or information. “People are sat around, nobody knows where they are going because it’s not signposted very well,” she added.
“Once the checks are done you go and sit in a waiting room. One woman, quite an elderly lady, had been there six hours. She was in her pyjamas and in a lot of pain..”
Becka feels the issues are not the fault of doctors, nurses or receptionists – but points the finger at ‘power-mad people who look at spreadsheets and not the real world.’
Dave was seen by a doctor at 8.30am – nearly 10 hours after arriving at A&E. He was diagnosed with a throat infection which had triggered an asthma attack.
David Jago, Chief Officer for Oldham Care Organisation, which runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, has responded to Becka’s concerns over A&E.
He said: “Like many A&Es across the country, we have seen a steep rise in the number of patients accessing our services, which is putting additional pressure on staff and causing some unavoidable waits.
“The safety of our patients is our first priority and patients are seen in order of clinical need.”