Delivery driver suffers stroke and has to wait 24 HOURS for doctor to come out
A MAN who suffered a stroke says he was forced to wait for 24 hours until he could be seen by a weekend doctor.
Steve Humphrey, 54, said he was “neglected” and “left to suffer” after being hit by double vision, a total loss of balance and a numb leg when he suffered a minor stroke on a Friday.
But despite visiting a hospital’s minor injury unit the next morning, the delivery driver claims he was told to go home and seek assistance from the NHS helpline instead.
Steve said he was forced to wait an agonising 24 hours before the promised doctor visited his home on Sunday morning, and immediately called an ambulance.
The 54-year-old, from Sandgate, Kent, said he felt “very light-headed” when he left for work on November 4 last year.
He relived his nightmare experience : "On the Thursday night, I dropped a bottle of TCP and it went everywhere.
"It smelt quite strongly, so when I woke up feeling unwell, I assumed it was because of the fumes."
After feeling out of sorts at work all day, Steve arrived at his final delivery for the day in Tunbridge Wells, where he started to feel worse.
He said: "I got out to the van to make the delivery but I started walking sideways and had no control whatsoever.
I will never know if the delays I experienced have inhibited my recovery or if it will have any long-lasting effects
Steve Humphrey
"I managed to focus enough to get home and thought if I got an early night, I would be okay."
By the next morning, his condition had deteriorated even more: "The room was spinning - it was like I was drunk.
"I couldn't focus or see properly, so I got my son to take me to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone.
"He helped me out to his van and I was seeing double by this point.
"I walked into the hospital but I was all over the place.
"I told the lady on reception what was happening but she sent me away and told me they were only a minor injuries unit.
"I asked if she could just get a doctor to at least check me over, to which she also said 'no' and told me to dial 111."
Returning home, Steve called the helpline and detailed what was happening to him.
He said the worker on the other end of the line took down all his symptoms, before telling him a doctor would be with him within four hours.
Six hours later, he received a call from a doctor based in Birmingham.
He said: "I had waited all this time to speak to someone with not an ounce of concern for me.
"I was back at square one, so I had to hang up and dial 999.
"I went through the same process and they said a doctor would be with me within two hours."
The 54-year-old heard nothing until the doctor finally arrived at his home on Sunday morning.
He added: "They had now left me for 24 hours.
I had no one else to call for me, I told them every symptom but they just neglected me and left me to suffer
Steve Humphrey
"Luckily I could use the top half of my body to keep myself up. My eyes and legs were still everywhere.
"The doctor told me he thought I'd had a stroke and that he better call an ambulance."
Despite not faulting the work of paramedics or staff at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Steve remains unsettled by the way he was handled.
He said: "I will never know if the delays I experienced have inhibited my recovery or if it will have any long-lasting effects.
"Luckily it was a minor stroke because if it wasn't, their slow response and lack of reaction means I probably would have been dead - inadequate is an understatement.
"I had no one else to call for me, I told them every symptom but they just neglected me and left me to suffer.
"It makes you not believe them when they tell you there will be a doctor with you if you're dialling 111 and 999.
"It's such a shame the system basically encourages you to lie in order to get the ambulance you need, which should be sent without delays.
"The NHS is spending money on advertising, telling people to act fast in the event of a stroke, so maybe they should practice what they preach?"
A spokesperson for NHS South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group said: "We are sorry that this patient is unhappy about the advice and treatment he received.
"We would urge him to get in touch so that we can investigate his case and identify any learning points for the future."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368.