A pensioner from Westhoughton says he feels let down after waiting at Royal Bolton Hospital’s A&E for 14 hours amid growing pressures on hospitals across the country.

William Bushell, 67, first attended the hospital on March 25 after concerns he broke his wrist, and due to collapsing on a few occasions.

He says that he was seen by a nurse who was really helpful, early in the morning, who carried out a blood pressure test and X-ray to his wrist and chest.

Tests showed that his blood pressure had dropped significantly, and they would sort some medication out for him, but his wrist was not broken.

The Bolton News: William Bushell William Bushell (Image: Public)Read some of our top stories below:

William said: “I sat in the waiting room and was told that there would be a doctor coming to see me because they were not sure if they wanted to keep me overnight for observation.

“I waited until 11.30pm and my son came to collect me to go home.

“I feel really let down and it made me and my son ill and stressed.

“I won’t go back there.

“It’s not the nurse’s or the hospital’s fault because they are doing the best they can.”

William says that some elderly patients were crying in the corridor at the time after they had also been waiting.

William also suffers from a number of health issues including alcoholism, COPD, and emphysema.

William says he has battled with alcoholism all of his life and had been sober for eight months, before relapsing recently.

A couple of days after waiting at A&E, he returned following concerns from the hospital he had been collapsing and had been shaking, and the fact he had left the hospital the other day.

This was organised by Achieve Recovery Service, but William says he was left waiting between five and six hours, before he decided to return home again.

He is now receiving support from Achieve for alcoholism.

The Bolton News: William said: “I just fell on bad times, and I have worked all of my life.

“I had to stop work because of suffering with prostate cancer and I started drinking again.”

The Bolton News has reported regularly on the pressures facing A&E, with Royal Bolton Hospital experiencing a high level of demand for services.

Rae Wheatcroft, Chief Operating Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, says that they are continuing to see high levels of demand for urgent care services, but that they are doing everything they can for patients.

They have also urged the public to only attend the Emergency Department in a life or limb-threatening emergency, so that the sickest patients can be prioritised.

Ms Wheatcroft said: “We know that long waits to be seen in our Emergency Department can be very frustrating, and at times upsetting, for our patients.

“Our staff are doing everything they can to provide the best care possible for our communities.

 “We’re continuing to see high levels of demand for our urgent care services and we’re currently taking a number of actions to make sure patients are seen, treated and discharged quicker.

 “We also continue to ask for the public’s support in helping us to make sure we’re able to prioritise the sickest patients by only attending the Emergency Department in a life or limb-threatening emergency.

 “For minor conditions, please consider using NHS 111 online, booking an appointment with your GP, or visiting one of the many local pharmacies available to us in Bolton.”

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.