A WOMAN was left in excruciating pain as she was forced to wait three DAYS on an uncomfortable chair in A&E after breaking her ankle.
Leah Rees, 26, was taken to hospital in Wales after suffering a freak accident while out with her pals – but it took her 72 hours to be seen by a doctor.
The mum-of-two was rushed to The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran on Sunday, January 16 – but she had to wait a “nightmare” three days before being put on a ward.
She was given an X-ray and a leg cast, but she needed an urgent ankle operation – so she waited in the emergency department.
Leah, who is a healthcare assistant in the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, was told to not eat or drink anything for the three days as she waited in the unit for a bed to become available.
The hospital have since apologised for the “discomfort and distress” the mum-of-two had to endure.
She told WalesOnline: “I was in excruciating pain, I was given no rest for my leg or any pillows, and I was absolutely starving because I was nil by mouth.
“I couldn’t even walk to go to the toilet.
“I just felt like I was ignored for three days.”
Leah had to also wait three hours for the ambulance to arrive to take her to the hospital, and she said she was “freezing” during the stay at the £350million hospital, with only a fleece to keep her warm.
And when she was finally seen by a doctor, he said the wrong cast had been put on her – which led to her leg swelling up.
Leah added: “The doctor couldn’t believe the tightness of the cast. He said that the plaster should have never been put on as I was at risk of blood clots.
“They then took the cast off, discharged me from the hospital, and said I’d undergo my operation at St Woolos Hospital in the next few days.
“I’d stayed at the hospital for three days for no reason. I could have been at home in bed.
“They advised me to get a taxi home with a broken ankle and nothing really to support it. I was just shocked at the lack of care.
“I was just crying to go home. I felt like discharging myself. I’ve got two little girls and my mum has had to take a week off work to look after them.”
The mum will now have metal pins and plates put in place in her ankle at St Woolos Hospital, Newport.
A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We are sorry that Ms Rees was not happy with the care that she received and we have been in contact with her to discuss her treatment plan and any concerns regarding our services.
“Our hospital services have remained extremely busy in recent weeks and months due to large amounts of very poorly people, Covid-19 restrictions, and staff shortages.
“When patients arrive at our emergency department they are initially assessed by a nurse and their care is prioritised according to the seriousness of their condition with those patients with life-threatening illnesses and injuries seen first.
“Unfortunately this means that patients with less serious conditions are likely to face longer waits at busy times. We apologise for any distress and discomfort such delays cause.”
