Throat Cancer Patient's Long Wait at Lincoln A&E Causes Concern
A retired man from Lincolnshire, suffering with throat cancer, experienced an agonising wait of 28 hours at the A&E department of Lincoln County Hospital. His visit on 30th August was to get an issue with his enteral feeding tube - his sole source of nutrition and hydration - resolved.
"The A&E was full to the brim with patients laying on the floors attached to drips. My father had to stand for a couple of hours and wasn't even offered a chair by staff," expressed the patient's anonymous daughter.
Lack of Treatment Options in Lincolnshire
Over the past years, the former A&E departments at Skegness, Louth, Grantham and Gainsborough have been converted into Urgent Treatment Centres. These centres mainly serve non-life-threatening emergencies leaving Lincoln and Boston to cater for A&E coverage across the county.
A Struggle for Specialised Care
The 64-year-old man was seen by three doctors, none of whom knew how to deal with the complications arising from the feeding tube. An oncologist, who could provide appropriate guidance, wasn't available until the next morning. The man's daughter requested for a drip, noticing the risk of her father getting dehydrated. She had to tape it to the wall as there were no stands available.
"Once a drip was inserted, they had no stands to hang this on, and so sellotaped it to the wall. This meant my dad wouldn’t be able to go to the toilet if required or move around anywhere," the patient's daughter lamented.
Communication Gaps and Extended Stay
The patient's distress and confusion were further exacerbated by gaps in communication. After 28 hours in the emergency department, the patient and his daughter were moved to a ward where he stayed for five days before being discharged. He spent four days waiting for a scan, surviving on merely fluids.
Campaigners Fight for Clinical Staff
Jody Clark, founder of the Fighting 4 Grantham Hospital campaign group, described the situation as 'ridiculous'. She affirmed that the root cause of such incidents is the scarcity of vital medical staff in Lincolnshire.
"The issue is that we don’t have enough staff, which is why they closed the A&E in Grantham seven years ago. Demand is increasing, so unless they improve the staffing situation, it’s just not going to improve," Clark said.
The United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust Speaks Up
A spokesperson for the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust acknowledged the increasing demand on A&E services across the region and assured the public of their continued commitment to provide the highest level of care to their patients.