Stafford hospital crisis: Mother gobsmacked as A&E turns her injured son away
"They could clearly see he was in distress but they could not do anything... I was gobsmacked."
This is the damning view of a Staffordshire mother who tried to have her three-year-old son treated at County Hospital's A&E department for a broken arm – but was turned away because of the shock decision to close the 'clinically unsafe' children's casualty unit.
Nicki Drew, aged 36, whose three-year-old son Charlie suffered a broken arm after a fall in Hednesford Park, said it was more than two hours before he got medical attention as she got caught in the bank holiday traffic trying to travel down to Wolverhampton from Stafford – now the closest A&E for children along with Royal Stoke.
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Mrs Drew, of Laurel Drive, Hednesford, said: "It was Bank Holiday Monday about 1pm when it happened. We were at Hednesford Park and he had a fall. Normally he would get up and carry on, but I knew this was more serious as he kept crying.
"He was crying all the way over because his arm was hurting so much. I went into the waiting room to register him and the receptionist asked if it was my son who I was here for.
"I said 'yes' and they said they could not see him and explained they could not see anyone under the age of 18.
"She showed me the letter and told me I would have to go to Stoke or Wolverhampton.
"I was gobsmacked really, shocked and angry, they could clearly see he was in distress but they could not do anything.
"I am not blaming the hospital, I gave birth to both my children there and they even saved my daughter's life when she was born premature. It is a fantastic hospital.
"The closure is having a major impact on Staffordshire."
She added that it usually took her 15 to 20 minutes to get to County Hospital depending on the traffic but that day the whole journey to Wolverhampton took more than two hours.
"We need the children's A&E back, we need to make sure our children are safe," she said.
Have you had to drive your youngster to a hospital miles away after the unit shut its doors?
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A second mother from Hednesford, 32-year-old Marie-Clare Morrison, of Metcalfe Close, suffered a similar fate to Mrs Beech when she tried to have her five-year-old son Sam treated at County Hospital's A&E department for a suspected broken wrist.
She explained: "It was Thursday night before bath time.
"He tripped over the stair gate and landed funny and screamed.
"I jumped in the car with him, my mother came for support, and we headed up to the A&E at Stafford without thinking twice that it might not be open.
"He was howling in pain as we went in and they said they could not see him and I would have to take him to Stoke.
"I walked out absolutely flabbergasted, he was yelping in pain.
"As I went outside there was a woman with a pushchair and they said they could not see her as well.
"It was 9pm and Sam was absolutely shattered and said he just wanted to go home. I took him to New Cross the following morning and they found he had broken his wrist. They kept him all day but they were brilliant with him.
"New Cross said they are over stretched themselves because of this closure.
"I understand that everyone is a priority but maybe its maternal instinct when I say surely children and babies should take number one priority?
"If you live near County Hospital and your child is critically ill and you have to travel more."
