Heart attack patient waits 20 hours at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Ken Jones was taken to hospital after suffering a heart attack but was not seen by doctors for 20 hours

A man who suffered a heart attack said he had to sit and wait 20 hours in a plastic chair before he could be seen by doctors.

Ken Jones, 68, who lives in the Forest of Dean was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH) in December after getting a bad pain in his chest.

Mr Jones, who is originally from Dursley, said he is concerned that hospital staff are overstretched.

Deputy Medical Director Dr Kate Hellier apologised for the delays Mr Jones had to endure.

"We are very sorry to the patient for the delay they experienced to receive treatment," she said.

Mr Jones was transferred to a monitoring bed after waiting in a minor injuries unit for 20 hours, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"All of this time, I had been sitting on a hard plastic chair," he explained.

"It was confirmed that I needed to stay in hospital till I had the angiogram done.

"The angiogram was eventually done, and it confirmed I had three blocked arteries."

Mr Jones' surgery was eventually completed on 29 December.

'Very sorry'

Dr Kate Hellier from the GRH said: "We recognise that patients continue to experience waits longer than any of us would wish and our staff continue to provide the best possible care, across both of our very busy hospitals.

"We would encourage the patient to raise any concerns with our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs).

"This would enable us to provide any support they may need and understand their experience and the care they received."