Burnley patient tells of 'disgraceful' scenes in Royal Blackburn Hospital A and E with patients on trolleys in corridors

Mr Neil Leah (65) broke his ankle in three places and dislocated it while on a walk with his elderly father-in-law near Nelson Golf Club on Sunday, January 14th.

An ambulance soon arrived to take him to Royal Blackburn’s A and E department, which is when the school adviser said the problems began.

Mr Leah, who lives in Harle Syke, said: “When I arrived at A and E around 3-30pm I had never seen anything like it. There were just so many people on trollies in corridors, some hooked up to drips and machines.

“All the area and surrounding corridors were full of patients on trolleys either being treated or waiting to be treated.Some had been there for days and not been seen. A doctor came to see me and said it would be two hours before he could examine me properly after an X-ray.

“I was very lucky with just a 12 hour wait before they reduced the break and I got a bed. I just wasn’t prepared for the scene when I arrived. It seems like we have gone backwards, the government are letting our hospitals and staff down. It’s a disgrace.”

Mr Leah also praised the staff who treated him and said he did not blame them for the situation he faced that day.

“The staff were amazing, I can't speak highly enough of them. How they cope with that sort of pressure I can't imagine,” he added.

In a statement to the Burnley Express, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised to Mr Leah and all others who face delays at A and E.

Chief operating officer and deputy chief executive at the Trust, Sharon Gilligan, said: “I want to start by saying how sorry we are to everyone who finds themselves or their family waiting for long periods of time in our urgent or emergency care treatment centres.

“The A and E at Royal Blackburn is one of the busiest emergency departments in England and we are regularly breaking records for the number of people who come in for treatment each week and this includes a lot of very poorly people who need to be admitted for further care.

“Unfortunately when all cubicles are full with patients, it does mean we need to use corridor space. Please be assured that whilst patients are waiting for a bed, they are being cared for, reviewed, assessed and supported by colleagues.

“The team could not be doing any more to support patients and their families in an extremely pressured and challenged environment – and I want to thank them for their ongoing hard work and resilience. Everyone at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is working as hard as they can to reduce waiting times.

“Please help us by only attending urgent or emergency centres if you have medical needs that are life threatening – otherwise NHS 111 has clinicians who can immediately guide you to the most appropriate place for help, including GP surgeries and pharmacies.”