A FAMILY has complained about the care a grandmother with cancer received at hospital.

They claim she lay on a hospital trolley for up to four hours waiting for an X-ray they say they later discovered had not even been carried out.

Catherine Noreen Thompson from Blackburn was taken by ambulance on May 29 to Royal Blackburn Hospital after her family and doctors were concerned about a swelling on her right hip and leg which was ‘causing excruciating pain’, leaving her unable to walk.

Son Dennis Thompson said: “She was taken to hospital and then a few hours later she rang me to say when am I going home as they were discharging her.

“I just thought she was confused because of the tumour so I rang the A+E department who told me she had had an X-ray and it was not broken and to ring the doctors for the results.

"I was then ringing the doctors every day for two weeks and the last phone call with the doctor he told me my mum hadn’t had an X-ray. 

“She had obviously been laid in a bed in the corridor just to be sent home.”

It is the latest setback for the family as, three weeks earlier, they said doctors found a 20cm-25cm tumour in the 78-year-old’s gullet which was making her vomit and unable to eat. She was discharged from hospital awaiting further appointments.

She had been suffering pain in her legs at that time and the pain worsened on leaving hospital. The family say they contacted doctors and an ambulance took her back to hospital for an X-ray.

Mr Thompson, aged 56, said: “We are so angry as when she was first admitted to hospital (in April) she was mobile and could weight-bear. 

“With all this on top of the cancer diagnosis it’s a devastating time. We feel like my dog has got better treatment at the vet’s.

“There is no way any human should be put through the amount of pain my mum is suffering which all could have been sorted out.

Chris Pearson, executive director of Nursing at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Patient confidentiality is important to us so we cannot comment on individual cases. 

“However, we are disappointed the family have felt it necessary to bring their concerns to you rather than us. We would urge them to contact us so we can look into their complaint.”

Mr Thompson has since been contacted from the hospital saying the incident was being investigated. Catherine is due to receive hospital treatment on Friday.