"Turned away by Stafford A&E"

My husband was taken to Stafford A&E in August 2008 at 10pm with terrible severe head pain and intermittent confusion.

He was spoken to by a receptionist who then spoke with me on my husband’s mobile. She was very harsh and abrupt with me after I explained his symptoms which caused him to be confused. I informed her that he might appear drunk but that he was not and that it was the head pain that may make his speech slurred. She informed me the department was very busy and put the phone down on me.

My husband told me later that he pleaded for some pain killers and was sold some from the closed pharmacy. He had no cash on him and we were later sent a bill for this. He asked if he could stay overnight as he felt really ill and was told to go home to Scotland and get seen to there. He was thankfully picked up and taken to his firm’s depot for the night. (Thanks to Stan of Stafford.)

When he was brought home the next day he was admitted to Elgin Hospital and diagnosed within hours and treatment started for a brain tumour. Within days he'd had the tumour successfully operated on and removed.

Unfortunately he later developed another brain tumour that was inoperable and consequently died in January 2009.

I don't seek compensation in any form whatsoever. All I want is for Stafford A&E to stop putting vulnerable patients at risk of death for the sake of adequate health care.