Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

An 80-year-old pensioner from Leyland claims that he and his partner were kept waiting 22 hours in hospital for a bed without being offered any food or water.

Neil Frankland and Barbara Croft, 85, from Farington Moss, say they were left sat on plastic chairs in the Accident and Emergency section at Royal Preston Hospital and then had to further wait 11 hours for a doctor to sign discharge papers and to get pills.

Barbara had recently attended the hospital after a previous operation involving 15 stitches to her ear had got infected.

She said: "After a procedure to me for a rodent ulcer (a type of skin cancer) involving 15 stitches at Chorley Hospital on Tuesday, August 9, the wound got infected on Saturday, August 27.

Barbara Croft, 85, from Leyland, claims she had to wait 22 hours in A&E at Royal Preston Hospital, then another 11 hours for medication and to be discharged, pictured with her partner Neil Frankland

"I was prescribed antibiotics at Chorley Hospital but the next day I reacted badly so we returned to the hospital and were informed they couldn't do anything for me and referred us to A&E Royal Preston Hospital.

"I had to wait for a bed for 22 hours sitting on two plastic chairs in A&E. We were not offered any food or drink the whole time we were there.

"Finally, I was found a bed at 11.45pm the next day."

Barbara claims her ordeal did not end there. She added: "I was examined and it was then thought that the antibiotics prescribed were too strong, and was then given a different antibiotic.

Barbara needed treatment after having a bad reaction to antibiotics prescribed to her after an ear operation became infected

"I was told I would be discharged and was just waiting for the doctor to sign my discharge papers and prescribe my pills.

'What will you tell the coroner?' Fears over child safety at busy Preston round...

"At 2pm my partner came to pick me up. With shortage of beds on A&E a male nurse asked us to go back to the plastic chairs in the waiting area, my partner refused until my pills and discharge papers were given.

"The male nurse found us a bed on ward 20 where the sister nurse had no idea why we were there and, after a lot of complaining from my partner, two of the nurses in charge, with a lot effort managed to get the doctor to sign discharge papers and prescribe pills.

The couple say they have just about recovered from their ordeal

"We finally got out of Royal Preston 12.30am on Wednesday, August 31."

Neil added: "When they are so desperately short of beds in A&E why do we have to wait so long for a doctor to sign and prescribed pills?

"We complained on several occasions and asked when a bed was going to be available for Barbara only to be told there was nothing they could do and to go back to our plastic seats and wait.

"I am nearly 80 years of age and Barbara is an 85-year-old lady. It is a very uncaring way to treat anyone and it was some ordeal to go through."

A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals spokesperson said: “Our services, like many other NHS organisations nationally, are currently under incredible pressure, particularly our emergency departments.

“We would like to apologise to any patients who experience long waits for a hospital bed. We are currently working alongside system partners on a comprehensive plan to increase existing capacity and reduce the waiting times.

“We would always encourage patients to contact our Patient Experience and PALS team so experiences like Mrs Croft’s can be investigated further.”

Leyland pensioners claim they were left in hospital waiting room for 22 hours with no food or water