A FORMER nurse is considering legal action after a hospital blunder which she claims left her with an injection needle embedded in her leg.

Mrs Joyce Mack, who is disabled, says that since the experience she is scared to go back in to hospital.

Health bosses have apologised for the incident, but deny that Mrs Mack's injury was caused by a needle. They say that a glass phial caused a "superficial" cut.

Mrs Mack (65), of Unsworth Street, Radcliffe, was rushed into the accident and emergency department at Bury General Hospital in July last year with breathing difficulties. A doctor administered an injection.

However, Mrs Mack claims that two hours later, as she was being transferred to a ward, she noticed her leg was bleeding.

"I pointed it out to a nurse and apparently there was a needle there," she said.

"At the time I didn't know if it had been used on someone else and left in the bed." In line with hospital procedure, Mrs Mack was checked for other injuries and underwent a blood test.

According to a letter sent to Mrs Mack by Bury Health Care NHS Trust, the needle and an empty ampoule, the glass phial containing the medication, had become lodged in the blanket given to Mrs Mack in the casualty department. It is thought that the cut had been sustained from the glass ampoule.

The letter stated: "It is clear that the doctor did not dispose of the ampoule in the correct manner."

It added that the doctor concerned had been reprimanded.

"That needle should have been disposed of immediately," said Mrs Mack. "As a nurse I am aware of the dangers of carelessly discarded needles.

Following the incident, the Trust's medical director visited Mrs Mack at her home to apologise.

Mr Philip Bacon, chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust said that, although he could not go into details of individual patient care, he emphasised that Mrs Mack's experience was an isolated case.

"The accident and emergency department medical team work very hard and provide an excellent service under heavy pressure," he said.

"We have apologised to Mrs Mack and the medical director has visited her personally. But I would emphasise that this was a one-off and can only apologise to Mrs Mack again."

He added that hospital procedures were in place for safely discarding needles.