Worksop woman denied ambulance after being sent from hospital with broken hip

A woman sent home from hospital when doctors failed to spot her broken hip had to be taken to A&E in a taxi after being denied an ambulance.
Sera and Ian Carnell pictured at their Ely Close home where Sera had a fall, breaking her hip.Sera and Ian Carnell pictured at their Ely Close home where Sera had a fall, breaking her hip.
Sera and Ian Carnell pictured at their Ely Close home where Sera had a fall, breaking her hip.

Sera Carnell, of Ely Close, Worksop, said she felt “excruciating pain” when she had to be hoisted into the taxi by four men and that the ordeal “ruined” her Christmas.

She initially visited Bassetlaw Hospital’s accident and emergency department complaining of leg pain on Tuesday, December 20.

However, after doctors failed to spot her hip was broken, she was sent home with painkillers.

Ian Carnell, Sera’s husband, said he returned from a shopping trip two days later to find his wife “writing in agony” on the floor.

He called for an ambulance, but was told paramedics would not attend, as her injuries were “not life-threatening”.

He said: “Sera was screaming and screaming – it was unreal. I told them there was no way I could move her, but they still refused to come.

“In the end, myself and three other neighbours had to lift her into a taxi.”

Sera was prescribed liquid morphine after being examined by doctors, but after insisting there was something “seriously wrong” she was sent for an X-ray, which revealed her broken hip.

Dr Bob Winter, of East Midlands Ambulance Service, said the couple were told to try to travel to A&E independently, as their call was marked “lower priority”.

He said: “As an emergency service we assess every 999 call and prioritise patients with a life-threatening illness or injury.

“For lower priority calls, advice may be given on how to seek the most appropriate help for the condition.”

Richard Parker, for Bassetlaw Hospital, said: “The decision to undertake diagnostic tests like an X-ray is always based on patient history and symptoms present at the time of the examination.

“Unfortunately, in Mrs Carnell’s case an X-ray was not indicated until the attendance at hospital. We are sorry this resulted in a delay in diagnosis and treatment.”