Patient stuck in hospital ward says bed could have been used by someone else

Stephen Wilson, from Buckland, was admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital on August 8 following a broken ankle.

After his operation he said a delay in having scans and X-rays kept him in a hospital bed which could have been used by other patients.

Mr Wilson, 28, was discharged yesterday after being in hospital for 10 days.

He said: ‘Apart from having some pain, there was no need for me to be at QA Hospital for so long.

‘The staff were delaying my scans for some reason and they even said I had refused to have my MRI scan.

‘I wanted to get out of hospital so wouldn’t have said no to any scans I needed.

‘My bed could have been used by someone who actually needed it. I was being kept there for no reason.’

Mr Wilson broke his ankle while working in Southampton.

He was taken to the A&E department at Southampton General Hospital and was operated on after part of his ankle bone had shattered.

Following the surgery, he was transferred to QA Hospital, in Cosham, and a second operation was needed.

He added: ‘The consultant said the break was one of the worst he had seen.

‘I have a metal plate in my foot and my whole leg is in a cast.

‘But as long as I have something for the pain, I am fine to be at home.’

As previously reported in The News,the NHS spent £73,000 in one day last year on delayed discharge patients – a phenomenon which is known as ‘bed-blocking’.

That figure was for eight hospitals, including QA.

A spokeswoman for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs QA Hospital, said: ‘Patient safety, dignity and the quality of care is the highest priority of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and any patient feedback about the treatment they receive is valued and treated very seriously.

‘While we cannot comment on an individual’s treatment due to patient confidentiality rules, we can assure that all patients have a full assessment for suitability before any medical discharge from hospital.’