Patients suffer delays of up to ten hours at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

SARAH HALL
26 November 2009 11:08



A large number of distressed patients were left waiting up to 10 hours for treatment at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital this week, it has emerged.

Some people who attended a specific surgical ward for emergency appointments on Tuesday at 9am in the morning had still not been seen by a doctor at 7pm.

The traumatic situation - which is the worst so far this month and left many patients crying and stressed - came on the same day hospital bosses admitted they are suffering “unprecedented pressure”.

Ricky Thompson, 32, arrived at Coltishall Ward at 10am after being referred by Ipswich Hospital. He accidentally sliced part of his finger off with a knife at home and was told he would need specialist care at the N&N.

He said: “My wound was assessed and I was told I would have treatment some time later. Quite a few people were waiting around and when we asked they kept saying we would be seen.

“But by 7pm I was told I could not be treated and told to return the next day. It is a 100 mile round trip from Ipswich and now we have had to do it twice.

“I feel like we were all told lies and made to wait for no reason, it is absolutely ridiculous.”

Martin Taylor, 67, from Tennyson Way in Thetford took his friend's 31-year-old daughter, Kirsty Bishop, into hospital as she became ill following an operation.

They went through the emergency assessment unit and ended up on Coltishall Ward where Kirsty was told she would be treated. He said: “We got there at 1pm and it was hectic. “Staff were rushed off their feet and no one seemed to know if they were coming or going.

“She eventually got seen just before 7pm and admitted to a ward. People were in a real state about it and there were at least four or five people in the same situation.”

Kirsty's mum Gillian, who lives in North Earlham, said: “It wasn't very nice to be up there waiting, it upset my daughter quite a lot.

“I know the nurses do a good job though and it wasn't their fault. Some of them said they were just as upset about it as the patients.”

Adele Farrow, 25, from Neville Road, Norwich, had an accident which resulted cuts on her arm. She had her arms bandaged at the James Paget University Hospital after the accident in the early hours of Monday morning but was referred to the N&N for specialist treatment.

She said: “I arrived at 9.45am and a doctor saw me and said I may have to wait a while for it to be sorted but I was sat there until at least 6pm. I kept to pestering the nurses and at one point I noticed they had even forgotten to put my name on the waiting board. Blood was seeping through my bandages and I was getting quite scared. I am now going back to be re-assessed. It was a bit of a nightmare.”

The dire impact of rising attendances at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was spelled out at a board of governors meeting on Tuesday.

Bosses said the 16pc rise in medical emergency admissions and 11pc rise in A&E attendances since last year is impacting on other areas of the hospital and is creating a backlog of work and problems such as operations being cancelled.

A range of measures have been put in place to tackle the problem, including 20 more beds this month with plans for 36 more temporary beds between November and January to cope with winter pressures.

But bosses said it is important that patients also “take control” of the situation and ensure they use other health services if there is no need to go to A&E.

Last month the Choose Well campaign was launched by NHS East of England to encourage patients to visit other and more appropriate NHS services.

A hospital spokesman said unfortunately the problems on Coltishall Ward are indicative of the pressure it was currently under. He said: “The plastic surgery team at the N&N is extremely busy and patients from the Queen Elizabeth, James Paget and Ipswich hospitals are all referred to the Norwich team. Unfortunately there are times when we have to clinically prioritise patients and that can mean we have to postpone some patients. We apologise for having to do so and we are mindful of the inconvenience it causes people.”

Have you recently been a patient at the hospital? Tell us your experience by phoning Sarah Hall on 01603 772426 or emailing sarah.hall2@archant.co.uk

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