Lincoln: Cancer patient's 31-hour 'cattle market' A&E wait

A cancer sufferer who says she faced a wait of 31 hours in A&E has compared the emergency department to "a cattle market".

Tracy Summerson, who had nausea and a fever, was eventually admitted to Lincoln County Hospital last week.

Ms Summerson said there were more than 30 other patients who waited a similar amount of time.

The hospital said despite long waits, those who needed immediate care were "able to be seen and looked after".

Ms Summerson, from Scopwick near Metheringham, described the scene as "just crammed, you were like cattle in a market".

Now back at home, she said people were "coming and going" in the busy department.

Ms Summerson, who has stage four malignant melanoma, said: "There was people coming with sick bowls being sick next to you.

"When you are immune-suppressed you're supposed to go in a side room out of germs way, but they needed all the rooms for consultations."

Her husband John, who drove her to the hospital, said he was shocked by the scene in the department.

Mr Summerson, who served in the armed forces for more than 28 years, said the scene reminded him of "a battle zone".

The family of an 83-year-old woman also contacted the BBC to say she waited more than 40 hours in a wheelchair in her nightdress after being taken to the hospital with a suspected brain bleed.

NHS figures show that in June 692 people waited more than 12 hours in the county's three hospital emergency departments.

In a statement, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

The trust added: "We continue to see an increasing demand on our urgent and emergency care services coupled with patients staying much longer in our hospitals than previously experienced.

"Last week saw particularly high volumes of patients who needed emergency care and admitting to our sites.

"Despite long waits, patients who need immediate emergency care are able to be seen and looked after in our emergency departments.

A spokesperson said they were experiencing "ever-increasing" pressure in A&E, often from patients with complex needs

"The impact of this is then a longer wait time for beds for new patients who need to be admitted from A&E," they said.

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