AN ELDERLY woman spent a night on a chair and then on a trolley at Glan Clwyd Hospital after being told there was a 62 hour-wait for a bed.

Jacqueline Hickson, of St Asaph, also had to rest on a makeshift-bed in the waiting room - she was given blankets and just a pillow case after being told pillows weren't available. 

The 76-year-old was taken to the hospital's emergency department on Sunday, July 15 with breathing difficulties.

Mrs Hickson suffers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure.



Her daughter, Janine Foden, arrived at the hospital with her mother at about 2pm. 

They stayed in an ambulance for an hour after being told there was a queue of four other ambulances waiting to admit patients. 

At 3pm, Mrs Hickson was taken into the A&E waiting room and seen at about 3.50pm by a triage nurse.

Janine was then given blankets and a pillow case, as there was no pillows, to make her mother a makeshift bed. 

Just before midnight, Mrs Hickson saw a doctor and was referred for an X-ray. 

At 1.30am, she was offered a chair in a side room with four other poorly patients. 

At 1.30pm (July 16) the next day, Mrs Hickson was put on a trolley and able to sleep. She finally got a bed on acute medical unit (AMU) at 3.30pm on Tuesday, July 17. 

Mrs Hickson remains in hospital. Her family hope she will be discharged today (Wednesday). Janine and her partner, Mark Ferguson, have done up Mrs Hickson's bungalow as a surprise for her when she gets home.

Janine, who hailed the medical staff and nurses involved in her mother's care, said: "It was so busy when we arrived. 

"When we were taken into the A&E waiting room, with mum in a wheelchair, she was really poorly – constantly using her inhalers. 

"When we were seen about 3.50pm, the triage nurse asked for 'bloods' and an ECG, which was done. 

"Being given the blankets and pillow case is one of the most awful things I've ever had to do. 

"My mum felt so embarrassed having to stay on the makeshift bed and was really agitated as she was so poorly. She couldn't sleep on it as she was so uncomfortable."

Janine continued: "Just before midnight, my mum saw a doctor who referred her for an X-ray. Then she returned to the waiting room. 

"At 1.30am, all that could be offered to my mum was chair in a small side room with four other poorly patients. 

"She was there until 1.30pm, so she spent 12 hours in an easy chair with no sleep, but she it was the kindness and care of staff at A&E that kept her going. 

"They kept saying they were so sorry, but the situation was out of their control. 

"I have nothing but complete and utter admiration for all the nurses and doctors at Glan Clwyd Hospital.

"To see them going above and beyond to produce an excellent standard of car and supporting relatives in absolutely unbelievable. 

"The pressure they constantly have to deal with and finding beds must be so difficult. 

"Charge nurse Michal Daros was outstanding.

"At 1.30pm that day he arranged for trolleys for really poorly people and he helped mum fit on one so she could get some sleep. 

"At about 9.30pm that evening, they got mum into a cubicle on a trolley where she spent the night. On July 17, at 3.30pm, my mum got a bed on AMU.

"I'm just hoping that by telling mum's story, that if it just helps one person - it has achieved something. My mum can't even talk about it and she gets really upset.

"The 62 hour wait for beds in horrendous. I've never seen anything like it. Older people in tears shouting for help and the poor staff working above and beyond the call of duty to care for them. 

"The situation is at breaking point and has got to change.  

"How the staff do their job day in day out I will never know - still trying to give excellent care and support under extreme difficult circumstances."

Mark Andrews, general manager for medicine at Glan Clwyd Hospital, said: "We apologise to Mrs Hickson for her wait in the emergency department at Glan Clwyd Hospital. 

"The hot weather we have been experiencing has led to an increase in patients presenting with respiratory and cardiac problems especially those who are frail, vulnerable or who have chronic conditions and as a result, some patients in our ED waited longer than we would like for treatment.

"We’d like to thank visitors to the hospital for their patience and support. We have as a result of this very busy period increased medical and nurse staffing in key departments and are working closely with our partners community and primary care teams in order to ensure that our Emergency Department has capacity to support all of our community.

“Patients are always prioritised according to their clinical need, ensuring those who have a higher clinical risk are treated and moved into appropriate departments as soon as possible, and monitored throughout their time in our emergency departments.

“We are working very hard across the health board to reduce the demands on our emergency care services by directing patients to the most appropriate setting for treatment."