A VISITOR to Colchester Hospital said he left feeling "concerned" after witnessing patients in corridors as the city's A&E department saw a surge in patients.

City resident, Sebastian Thornton, 55, was visiting a family member in the hospital’s A&E department on Sunday when he witnessed "people everywhere." 

Mr Thornton said more needs to be done to help hospitals cope with pressure points. 

“There were queues outside the building, people were filling out forms before they’d even stepped inside,” Mr Thornton said.

“I was amazed at old people in beds, clearly waiting to go to a ward.

“There were people everywhere.

“On my way out it just hit me, there’s so many people – elderly people – stuck in a corridor with a blanket – it’s horrible.

“It’s so sad – I can’t unsee the chaos, it’s stuck in my head.

“Labour was going to be sorting all of this out, they’ve been in over 100 days and nothing’s happening.”

Chief Executive at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Nick Hulme said: "We were sorry to hear about the concerns.

"We saw many very sick people in Colchester Hospital's A&E department over the weekend of September 20 and 22 and there was a long wait.

"Our teams have tried and tested plans in place to provide care and treatment from this hospital service during times of higher demand. Patient safety is always at the heart of those plans.

"Staff are continuing to work hard to provide safe, timely and compassionate care and to reduce the time people are waiting in A&E.

“We would encourage anyone with a query or concern about their experience to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) team. They are very happy to listen and share any feedback we receive.