This patients account shows whats happens when systems fails, from December 2012 the Antrim Hospital was so stretched for beds that patients were diverted from it.
Antrim Hospital is classed as one of the major 5 in Northern Ireland and for this to be able to take place is unacceptable.
An independently living elderly patient attended Antrim A&E on the 18th December 2012 at 10am.
After waiting 5 hours for treatment she was admitted into the main hospital site, the lady and her family were told that she could expect to be home in 3 days time.
After responding well to her treatment she was not discharged from the hospital as directed. This then led to an ordeal that resulted in the once independently living lady being discharged to a nursing home.
During her stay she was moved 5 times within the hospital despite the fact that after her A&E visit she was admitted to the appropriate ward to treat her illness.
After being advised that she could be discharged for Christmas no social worker could be gained to support her discharge which left the lady spending Christmas in the hospital.
On the 27th December the lady developed more illnesses, further to this the lady was discharged on the 31st December 2012 but was too frail to return to her home and the discharge was to a nursing home.