"Appalling lack of care and waiting forever"

On Monday evening I took my husband to A & E at Burnley because he was having difficulty breathing. They immediately took him round to a cubicle and gave him oxygen. He had a raft of tests/treatments within an hour, but they said he would have to go to Blackburn as it was classed as an emergency. We arrived there and he was put in a 'holding' ward as there were no beds. The first thing they did was remove his drip and things went downhill from there.

He spent 2 days waiting for a bed, during which time he had minimal treatment. Apparently they can't treat anyone who is not on a ward. (I would call that nonsense). It feels like doctors won't visit patients if they are not in the 'right place' and therefore reduce the number of beds needed by producing a faster turnover. He had xrays done at Burnley, but it took 2 days for Blackburn to decide he had pneumonia. No treatment though - oh no - he wasn't on a ward.

Then tonight they finally found him a bed in Ward D1. Does no one leave hospital for 48 hours? We took him up there and I am very upset and angry. The ward is 'pearly gates'. He has been placed with people who are much older and some of whom have obvious dementia. Don't take me wrong, I accept that there has to be good provision for our elderly population. I will be there myself one day, except my husband is 50 and doesn't fit in at all (so much for a speedy recovery, if they ever get round to treating him). The side ward he is on smells of excrement and the staff are more than slow. It took one of the nurses 45 minutes just to do general observations on 4 people.

I am absolutely disgusted that a so called brand new, state of the art hospital is so deficient in meeting the needs of its clients. If I was so lacking in my job, I would have been sacked long ago.

I will be visiting tomorrow and asking for him to be transferred back to Burnley, Airedale or any other place that can give him a decent level of care. If not, I will be taking him home.

Next time, if the need arises, I will be taking him to Airedale.