Children left hospitals without being seen due to long waits, CQC reports.

Urgent action is needed at Royal Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal hospitals, inspectors found

Children left hospital without being seen and elderly patients were left on trolleys for 12 hours at two hospitals in Shropshire.

Health inspectors reported the findings after carrying out surprise inspections at Shrewsbury Royal Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

The CQC carried out unannounced visits to emergency departments after the trust was rated inadequate.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust vowed to spend £1m on staffing.

The CQC has demanded a string of conditions are met immediately by the Trust.

Inspectors visited the sites in April this year, following up on its August 2018 inspections.

At Princess Royal, 11 children left in a single day without being seen due to lengthy waits.

Despite some children showing symptoms of possible sepsis, inspectors found no case notes had been completed for these patients.

Another six children left Shrewsbury hospital because of long waiting times. Both sites were concluded to be under "adverse pressure" with inadequate levels of staff.

Timeline of recent issues at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust

April 2017: Government orders a review into a cluster of at least seven baby deaths, later deemed as avoidable, in less than two years at the trust

August 2017: CQC inspectors say maternity services must improve

August 2018: Review into baby deaths expanded as more parents come forward

September 2018: Enforcement action taken amid safety fears

October 2018: Trust ordered to provide weekly reports to inspectors

November 2018: Trust warned for third time over its medical care, critical care and emergency care services and is put into special measures.

Among the conditions placed on the trust's registration, all children must be assessed within 15 minutes of arrival and correct numbers of staff who can assess risks and undertake triage must always be on duty.

"We still have concerns about the emergency departments at the Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital," said Ted Baker, chief inspector of hospitals.

Inspectors will return to check if sufficient improvements have been made, and "will not hesitate to take further action if needed".

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Barbara Beal, director of nursing, midwifery and quality at the Trust, said it recognises the areas of concern highlighted by the CQC and is "sorry" it was "not able to make improvements more quickly".

"We are working with our staff, clinicians, and regulators, including CQC, to increase the pace of our improvements to provide a greater level of confidence and assurance," she said.

Six paediatric nurses, 13 registered nurses and an additional 13 newly qualified nurses will be employed, she said.