A HORRIFIED woman will write to Prime Minister David Cameron after she says her partially paralysed husband was forced to share a urine bottle with four other patients in hospital.
Anne White, 65, of Nickleby Road, Chelmsford, claims Stephen, who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease, could have died at Broomfield Hospital and nobody would have noticed.
The 6ft 4in former lorry driver, who is paralysed from the waist down, fell and cracked his head outside his home when his wheelchair broke.
Once at hospital, the couple claim he had a bloodied bandage reapplied, that he did not receive an observation for about nine hours despite having a fractured skull and was not fed for eight hours.
"He could have died and nobody would have noticed," said Mrs White. "We didn't know he had a fracture and he could have just passed out. He could have fallen out of the bed because he didn't have a cot with a side."
At about 1pm on Saturday, July 20, Mr White was lowering himself from the couple's car on a tail lift when the bolts in the NHS wheelchair buckled and it fell apart.
Mrs White found him lying in a pool of blood and thought he was dead.
After four hours in A&E the pair claim he was moved to an observation ward, but did not receive one until 10.15pm, before doctors confirmed he had a fractured skull by 11pm.
"Also at 9.30pm I was told he shouldn't eat or drink with a head injury when I asked for more food, but he already ate a sandwich and cup of coffee at 8pm," she said.
They claim he was given a urine bottle to share between four patients.
After returning home last Sunday night with his wound medically glued together, tractor enthusiast Mr White, who contracted his disease 20 years ago, said: "I feel disgusted with their behaviour.
"It's not the nursing staff, it's not their fault, but it's a situation of too many bosses and not enough nurses.
"It was disgraceful and something drastically needs to be done."
Once Mrs White receives a reply from the hospital's patient advice and liaison service (PALS), she will forward her letter to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The Care Quality Commission is currently investigating Broomfield Hospital after a February inspection concluded the hospital was failing to protect the welfare of its patients.
Mid Essex Hospital Trust said Mr White was given a review immediately upon arrival at A&E, but apologised when admitting the fracture was not identified until a second opinion that day.
A spokesperson said: "During this time Mr White was cared for within a specialist unit within sight at all times of the medical and nursing staff and close to their central station which is always staffed."
It added: "The urine bottles referred to are not a disposable item but are bottles that are sterilised between each and every patient and this was adhered to at all times. The Trust does not have any buckets for patients to use at any time for toiletry needs and are therefore unable to add further comment to this."
The statement ends: "We do appreciate that an emergency of the nature Mr White suffered can be extremely stressful and worrying.
"We would welcome the opportunity to meet and review this case and answer the questions Mr and Mrs White have to ensure we improve the care and communication we offer patients and their relatives in the future."
