'Broken beyond repair': Nurse waits in A&E for more than 48 hours with suspected bleed on the brain

The registered nurse, from Newport, who asked not to be named, said he had been suffering from persistent migraines and headaches for two weeks before he went to see his GP and was "sent home" with co-codamol.

As the headaches persisted, he went back to his GP and last Monday had blood tests.

But after experiencing a "large headache" on the following Sunday, he decided to book himself in to the A&E department at Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, at around 9.30pm, where he was told he might have a suspected bleed on the brain.

"I saw a doctor and they just said you need a lumbar puncture to determine whether you have got a bleed on the brain," he said.

He went on to say that the "healthcare workers have been brilliant", but there are not enough staff or resources to deal with the number of patients.

"I witnessed a woman who was 92 who arrived at 01:00am and was sat next to me with two broken ribs as a result of a fall from an angina attack," he added.

"She waited with no relatives or support for 19 hours with no sleep or opportunity of a bed in a wheelchair in a corridor.

"The team in the most part do their very best but are hampered by the system and process that they are fighting to keep – the NHS.

"If Telford is is the shining example of the NHS then it is broken beyond repair."

The man said that patients sat in A&E were all clubbing together to look after one another while they waited.

"We were laughing and joking as patients, saying it's like clubbing together – putting coats on other patients and trying to get them drinks and get them comfortable," he added.

"I know it's a national crisis, but I haven't seen it this bad in action or this many people accessing A&E as a result of not being able to access professionals or GPs."

Sara Biffen, acting chief operating officer at The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospital Trust, said: “We are not able to comment on individual cases, but we are sorry that patients are facing long waits as we continue to prioritise those with the most critical needs.

“Our hospitals continue to be under pressure due to the combined effect of demand for our services and the impact of industrial action by junior doctors and consultants.

“All available additional space within the Trust is open and we, along with partners, are working hard to release additional capacity in the community to support patients who are ready to be discharged from hospital as quickly as possible, to free up beds for patients who most need our support.”