Accrington woman complains over terminally-ill husband's treatment (From The Bolton News)

Accrington woman complains over terminally-ill husband's treatment

10:00pm Tuesday 26th January 2010 in North West By Neil Docking, Reporter

CLAIM: Carol and husband Glyn, who was treated at the Royal Blackburn Hospital

THE wife of a terminally ill cancer patient has blasted East Lancashire Hospitals after she claims her husband was left in agony waiting to receive treatment.

Carol Fielding, 48, said her husband Glyn, 43, lay in pain for 20 minutes waiting for treatment after pressing an emergency buzzer.

She said the treatment eventually offered was inappropriate and her husband had to wait another 45 minutes while a friend collected equipment from their home in Cambridge Street, Accrington, and brought it to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The father of three was rushed to hospital by ambulance on Saturday afternoon with a suspected spinal cord compression, which previously left him unable to walk without a walking frame.

The former security guard was taken to the medical assessment unit and according to Mrs Fielding began to complain of severe pain while waiting for an X-ray because the catheter tube he uses to release urine from his cancerous bladder had become blocked with sediment.

She said: “I rang a buzzer and it took 15 minutes for a receptionist to come in and ask what was the matter.

“I told her and said he needed a bladder wash or to see a urologist and she said 'This is not a urology ward'.

“When I asked for a nurse she said 'They are all on their tea break'.”

Carol said it took another five minutes for a nurse to arrive.

She claims she pleaded with the nurse to get her bladder wash but was told the hospital did not have one.

Mr Fielding was instead offered a saline solution, to be administered by syringe.

“I had to ring my friend to go to our home in Accrington to pick up a bottle of bladder wash” Mrs Fielding said.

Lancashire Telegraph health expert Dr Tom Smith said he was concerned by the incident.

He said: “If the tube from the bladder fills up with excess urine that puts pressure on the kidneys.

"They stop functioning and that can actually damage the very delicate mechanisms of the kidneys, especially in a man who has terminal prostate and bladder cancer.”

Lesley Gaw, matron of the medical assessment unit, said she was “very sorry” that Mrs Fielding felt the level of care Mr Fielding received was not of a high standard and apologised for the delay to the response to the buzzer.

She said: “I would like to offer an assurance that buzzers are not answered by reception staff but by experienced nurses and health care assistants.

"I am very keen to speak with Mrs Fielding personally and I will be contacting her to personally offer my apology again.”