Injured children are turned away from Llandudno Hospital

Aug 21 2008 by Michelle Coyle, North Wales Weekly News

PARENTS were shocked when injured children were turned away from Llandudno Hospital last week due to a lack of doctors.

Glyn Jones from Llandudno was appalled to discover the mix-up after driving his neighbours and their 11-year-old daughter to the hospital on Thursday night.

Glyn said: “We got to the hospital and a nurse came out and said to them and about 15 other people waiting that she was terribly sorry but there was no doctor, and could everyone come back the next day. She was only able to strap up injuries and offer paracetamol.

“I thought it was amazing in this day and age that such a thing could happen in a holiday town. Not having a doctor in a hospital is a joke.

“I was absolutely disgusted and am not surprised that certain people wanted to close this hospital down.”

A spokesman for the North West Wales NHS Trust said: “During the week of August 11 the Trust experienced difficulty with medical staffing for the minor injuries unit at Llandudno Hospital at night.

“As a result the service was nurse-led for four nights. The unit continued to run as normal at all other times.