Chadwell Heath woman loses baby after ‘being left in hospital queue’
An expectant mother �suffered a miscarriage �after allegedly being kept standing in A&E for half an hour despite suffering pain and her waters breaking.
Anu Patel, 26, was five months pregnant when she called an ambulance to her Chadwell Heath home on �December 2.
Although she lives only minutes from King George Hospital, Barley Lane, Goodmayes, paramedics told her they had no choice but to take her on a 30-minute journey to Queen’s Hospital, Romford.
When she arrived, Mrs �Patel says she was forced to wait on foot in a queue of eight patients, who had all arrived by ambulance, but was not given a wheelchair.
She told the Recorder: “I was standing there, leaning against the wall, and then my waters broke.
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“But when we made the nurses aware they said ‘are you sure you haven’t wet yourself?’. A paramedic had to have a look and said that my waters had broken.”
Although staff rushed Mrs Patel, of Grove Road, to the gynaecology ward, she says she wasn’t seen by a specialist for another two hours.
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He told her she was suffering a late miscarriage and there was nothing that could be done. It is the second time tragedy has struck Mrs Patel and her husband, Rinkal. Three years ago she suffered a �miscarriage under similar circumstances.
On that occasion she was being taken to Queen’s when her waters broke in the �ambulance, and she was diverted to King George.
“It was so hard because I knew exactly what was happening to me this time,” she said. “I knew if I got medical attention in time then it might have prevented it [the miscarriage].”
Mrs Patel added: “I was appalled with how they treated me. Having to stand there with my waters broken was just demeaning.” She added the intention to close the A&E and labour ward at King George is “disgusting”.
Medical director Stephen Burgess said: “I am sorry if Mrs Patel faced delays in our emergency department.
“Unfortunately, her �miscarriage could not have been prevented, but my thoughts are with her at this very difficult time.
“We have not received a complaint from Mrs Patel �regarding her care, but we would be happy to meet with her to discuss any concerns she may have.”
