The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Bloodied OAP also refused treatment
APerthshire woman wa s re fu sed treatment at a hospital despite bleeding heavily. Margaret Watson, 73, of Rattray, fell on a loose slab outside Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital and cracked her head at the end of August.
She required five stitches and is the second person to speak out angered at having been turned away from the hospital.
On Monday, The Courier told how Avril Bright, 66, had been visiting Ardblair Medical Centre to post a prescription when she slipped, bursting her lip and nose.
Desp ite “b leed ing profusely”, Avril said staff at the practice offered her no assistance and told her to go to Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital.
The pensioner was even more infuriated when she arrived at the hospital to be informed its minor injuries ward was closed and she would need to travel to Perth Royal Infirmary (PRI) for treatment.
Ma r g a r e t told The Courier she was instructed to go to PRI for treatment as the minor injuries unit at the hospital was closed.
However, she said staff at the Blairgowrie centre did not even offer a gauze to help slow the bleeding.
“I came down the steps on a loose slab and I cracked my head open.
“I had to get someone to take me to PRI. I was lucky to have had a neighbour who could take me.
“I had blood all over me – there was no way I could have taken a bus in that state. I didn’t have a gauze or anything so there was b lood a l l over my neighbour’s car.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership – wh ich oversees the Blairgowrie hospital – said: “We would like to apologise for any distress caused to this patient.
“The minor injury and illness unit at Blairgowrie Community Hospital is current ly open for appointments only which can be arranged via your GP in hours and through NHS 24 on 111 out of hours.
“These restrictions are in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic to reduce the risk to members of the public and a walk-in service is therefore not possible at the moment.”
Ho w e v e r, Ma r g a r e t praised the staff at PRI who treated her on arrival.
She said: “The staff at PRI – I can’t fault them. PRI were very good.
“I was seen straight away and they stitched me up.”
Ma r g a r e t has since expressed concerns for others in the area who may not be able to call someone in a similar situation.
“There are a lot of elderly
people in the area and they might not have someone they can call. Even I don’t have immediate family nearby.”
Following the fall of Avril Bright, 66, Margaret says she does not wish a similar thing to happen to anyone else.