Hancock hospital dash over boy’s A&E ordeal

Protests over sick child forced to sleep on floor

HEALTH SECRETARY Matt Hancock was dispatched to a Yorkshire hospital to try and control the political fall-out caused by images of a sick child who was forced to sleep on the floor of its A&E.

Mr Hancock was briefed on the case of four-year-old Jack Williment, who slept on a makeshift bed made from coats at Leeds General Infirmary due to a lack of beds. The Tory Minister met the hospital’s chief executive but was heckled by protesters while leaving.

Mr Hancock could be seen speaking on the phone and hastily entering a car as demonstrators shouted “shame on you” and “you are not welcome in this hospital, you are not welcome in this country”.

One protester said she wanted to ask Mr Hancock about the promise made by the Tories to recruit new nurses. She said: “There is a child sleeping on the floor, stop telling us you have got any concern, any concern at all for the people in this country.”

She added: “This is the result of 10 years of austerity. You have got a child asleep on the floor of a hospital.”

It was suggested Labour activists had been shipped in to demonstrate at the hospital, however four people spoken to by The Yorkshire Post denied this was the case and said they worked nearby and had heard about Mr Hancock’s visit on Twitter.

The Health Secretary visited the hospital after Prime Minister Boris Johnson was shown the image of the poorly boy, first published by The Yorkshire Post’s sister paper the Yorkshire Evening

Post.

Jack’s mother Sarah has told how she covered him with coats to keep warm as he waited for a bed with suspected pneumonia. He later waited five hours on a trolley before a bed was found.

Ms Williment said she would now switch allegiance and vote Labour in Thursday’s General Election, owing to her concerns about the state of the NHS.

Mr Hancock said he was “horrified” by the photograph, adding: “I have three small children myself. I have spent many evenings in A&E. I know what it feels like. I want to make it better.”

On Jack’s ordeal he said: “It’s not good enough and I’ve apologised. I think the trust have handled it very well. The staff here have been brilliant.”

And asked why he made the visit to the hospital yesterday when it was not on his schedule for the day, Mr Hancock said: “I’ve come because... I wanted to get reassurance from the trust that they’re doing everything they can.”

Rumours circulated online that a Labour activist had punched one of Mr Hancock’s team, but a video showed him walking into the protester’s arm. West Yorkshire Police said: “We are currently unaware of any reports to West Yorkshire Police of this nature but are seeking to verify.”