A WOMAN says she is furious after being sent home from hospital without treatment – despite having suffered two fractures to her wrist.
Susan Towse, 63, of Admiral Walker Road in Beverley, attended East Riding Community Hospital after falling at her home and injuring her wrist.
After having an X-ray on her wrist, Mrs Towse says she was told by a member of staff that it seemed OK.
However, she says the staff member told her she could not read X-rays herself.
Mrs Towse was then sent home without any treatment or medication.
"What is the point in having a nurse on accident and emergency who cannot read X-rays?" she said.
"It is an absolute disgrace."
Mrs Towse was in so much pain that she went to see her GP the next day.
She said: "I was in agony, so I decided to go see my own doctor, who said straight away she could see two fractures and she sent me back to the hospital."
After another X-ray, doctors confirmed Mrs Towse had suffered two fractures to her wrist and had a temporary cast put on her arm.
She was then transferred to the fracture clinic at Hull Royal Infirmary for further treatment.
Mrs Towse said: "I am appalled by the way I was treated at Beverley hospital. There is no point in having a hospital if staff aren't trained to treat you properly."
East Riding Community Hospital is run by the Humber NHS Foundation Trust. However, the minor injuries unit, where Mrs Towse was treated, is operated by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
A spokesman for the trust said they were unable to comment on the details of Mrs Towse's case due to patient confidentiality.
However, they issued a statement saying: "We can confirm that all nurse practitioners working in the Beverley Minor Injuries Unit are trained to look at and interpret X-rays.
"In any case where a soft tissue injury to the wrist is suspected, patients would not receive strapping or support but would instead be encouraged to keep the wrist free and moving to promote recovery.
"Similarly, pain relief would not be routinely provided if patients already report having taken this."
The trust said it is "routine practice" in cases such as Mrs Towse's for patients to return home and be contacted the following day if a problem is later identified through the trust's failsafe procedure.
"This procedure involves all X-rays that have not been confirmed as fractures being reviewed by a senior radiology consultant or registrar for anything that may have been missed, and the subsequent recall of patients if required," the spokesman said.
"We would invite Mrs Towse to call our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 01482 623065, so we may discuss her concerns with her in more detail."
