'˜People are waiting to get into the QA hospital - I couldn't get OUT!'

Colin White, 81, has acute myeloid leukemia. He was admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham on Good Friday and spent three days there.

However when it came to letting him go home, he was kept waiting for more than three hours for his medication to arrive.

The retired carer, from Waterlooville, said that while he waited there were people waiting for hours to get in, with some outside in ambulances, meaning the vehicles could not be dispatched to people in need.

Mr White, of Holly Drive, said: ‘There’s something wrong with the system.

‘It’s no good saying that the hospital has grown as it’s never been any different.

‘I have been in several times over the years – I’ve had blood clots, a heart attack and had my kidney drained.

‘For keeping me alive, the hospital and staff could not be any better but I always seem to have a problem getting out.’

Mr White said his recent experience of being delayed not only wasted precious time, it also meant that his wife Phyllis had to wait with him and family members were waiting to pick them up.

He said: ‘Surely somebody could look at the overall system and get people out quicker so they can get people in quicker and then they can move the ambulances on.’

In recent months there have been several reported cases of patients having to wait hours for an ambulance to arrive.

Some patients have resorted to taking themselves to hospital – as was the case for six-year-old Zayden Ward of Portsmouth, who broke his leg.

After waiting three hours his family cancelled the ambulance and got a lift.

A Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust spokeswoman said: ‘Out of respect for patient privacy and dignity we are unable to comment on individual cases in any detail.

‘We know how important it is for patients to be discharged in a timely manner, and our staff work hard to enable patients to return home as quickly as possible, whilst also ensuring that they have the right care support in place to allow them to do so.

‘While we have not received a formal complaint in this case, we take all comments and complaints seriously and we would invite this patient to discuss their concerns with us so we can ensure they receive the best possible treatment.’

But Mr White said: ‘I’m just enjoying everything I have left and doing what I can.

‘If only I could do something about those poor souls trying to get in. If my story stirs somebody into action, then good.’