‘Hospital didn’t spot my wife’s broken ribs’ (From Gazette)

‘Hospital didn’t spot my wife’s broken ribs’

7:00pm Monday 1st November 2010 in Woman By Lorraine Price

A HOSPITAL failed to spot a woman’s broken ribs, it has been claimed.

Shirley Illman, 54, of Iceni Court, Dovercourt, tripped on a fence and landed on her face and chest.

Husband Norman drove her to the Fryatt Hospital, in Dovercourt, but the X-ray facility was closed forcing them to travel to Colchester General Hospital.

Mr Illman, 61, said: “I rushed her off as she was complaining about chest pains. They looked at her at Harwich but they told me to take her to Colchester.

“When we got to Colchester Hospital, all they did was X-ray her face. I asked them to X-ray her chest but they didn’t.

“They sent her home with painkillers.”

For the next week Mrs Illman continued to suffer pain in her chest until the pair returned to the hospital on Thursday.

Mr Illman said: “When I took her back, they did an X-ray and found she had two broken ribs.

“I was really angry. They should have done the X-ray the first time. I’m appalled at the service she got.”

Mr Illman was left frustrated and angry when he had to travel to Colchester despite having a new hospital close to his home.

He added: “What kind of a service do we run where I have to drive my wife with chest pains 20 miles up the road for treatment.

“They say they’re going to start opening more services at the Fryatt Hospital, but when?

“This system is so silly. There are ill people that shouldn’t have to travel that far.”

Andrew Knotts, spokesman for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We want to provide the best possible care for all our patients.

“If Mrs Illman can get in touch with us, we can investigate the treatment she received.”

Talks are ongoing of extending the Fryatt Hospital X-ray service so it is open daily from 9am to 5pm.