A mum-to-be claims she waited in A&E for more than 18 hours while being constantly sick.
Vicky Hughes said her daughter Sophie Vanner, 17, started vomiting which wouldn't stop on Wednesday, November 23. It was a cause of concern due to Sophie being 18 weeks pregnant.
Mum Vicky rang 111 and was told her a doctor would call her back, however Sophie's symptoms got worse when she started vomiting with blood.
READ MORE: Police swarm to business park after reports of intruder breaking into shop
Speaking to the ECHO, Vicky, from Litherland, said: “My daughter started being sick, she is 18 weeks pregnant, so on the Wednesday I rang 111 and they said to me they would get a doctor to call me back but if anything changes to ring them back.
“She was getting paler and paler and then she started being sick again and this time there was blood in it, so I rang back 111."
She said operators told her there was a six-hour wait for an ambulance, but due to the family not living far away from Aintree Hospital, the 50-year-old decided to drive her daughter there instead. After arriving at 10.30pm on Wednesday, November 23, they didn't leave the hospital until 5.40pm on Thursday, November 24 to go to Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Vicky said: "We got there at 10.30pm and checked in. It was absolutely rammed in there. We didn’t actually get seen until 6.40am the following morning by the doctor.
"The doctor said she was very dry and needs to go on a drip and we need to get her some anti-sickness medication. She said ‘I am going off now and I will transfer you over to the day staff’.
When Sophie's named was called, Vicky was told it was patients only and sat back down in the waiting area. Vicky said she messaged her daughter to check in on her.
Vicky said: "I messaged her asking ‘where are you?’ and she said ‘down the corridor’ and I said ‘what are you doing in the corridor, are they putting the cannula in?’
"She said ‘no, I am just sitting here and all these people that came in this morning, they have all been in and gone’."
Vicky went to find her daughter and claims she was told where Sophie had been placed was the GP out of hours service. The mum asked why she had been placed there and claims a doctor told her it was a mistake and she would have check into A&E again.
She added: “He said what you’re going to have to do is, you’re going to have to go back to A&E because they have shouted her for her cannula but because you were round here you have missed it.
"So they think you have discharged yourself, so you’re going to have to go back to reception and check in again and go through triage again. I said 'you have no chance of me doing that again'."
Vicky said she was not upset with staff as they do a "fantastic job", however she claims she was more annoyed at the "lack of flow" and "the government needs to look and think what [they] need to do to fix this".
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted their emergency departments are currently "experiencing significant pressure".
Vicky said: “I am not annoyed at the staff because they are busy and they do a fantastic job, I was more annoyed that when we saw the second doctor which was eventually around 20 past 10 [am]. We saw another doctor and told her what has happened, she said so sorry, we will get the drip in and get her sorted then ring the Women's.
“Unbeknownst to me, I didn’t know the Women’s had an emergency service, so I don’t know why we weren’t told to go there. We ended up having to go there anyway once they put the drip in and you don’t even get a bed now to have the drip you just get put in a room with other people while you sit and have your drip.
"There doesn't seem to be any flow and people don't seem to be going anywhere and I was just so angry that people are just being left. If people don't speak up, nothing is going to happen."
The ECHO understands that when a pregnant woman presents herself to A&E at one of the hospitals within the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, it is assessed on a case by case basis whether the patient is sent to Liverpool Women's Hospital.
After being treated at Aintree Hospital, Sophie and Vicky left at 5.40pm on Thursday, November 24 to go Liverpool Women's Hospital for further tests. The mum and daughter eventually got home at around 7.20pm, more than 20 hours after their visit to hospital.
A spokesperson for Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are very sorry to hear about this family’s concerns and would encourage them to contact our Patient Advice and Complaints Team if they would like to discuss them in detail with us directly.
“Our Emergency Departments are currently experiencing significant pressure and all patients attending are triaged and then prioritised according to their clinical needs. When patients who are pregnant come to our Emergency Departments, their care plan is agreed in consultation with their local obstetric team to ensure it meets the needs of the patient and baby and is delivered in the most appropriate setting.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT:
Lidl burglar's trail of blood in Chinese buffet led police straight to him
Trams could be answer to Anfield matchday traffic woes
Carer stole £115k from vulnerable widow and left her with just £87
Four-star Merseyside hotel owed over £18m when it collapsed into administration
GMB's Ben Shephard tells Kate Garraway to 'be quiet' during clash
