Man told to go away by NHS collapsed on way out

Adam Shropshire had been sent to the walk-in centre by NHS Direct after he rang them to complain he was feeling unwell.

But on arrival staff told him there were no appointments available and he was told to go elsewhere.

Mr Shropshire collapsed on his way out and when he came round he rang NHS Direct again before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

Health bosses have now launched an investigation into what had happened and last night pledged lessons would be learned if the investigation highlighted any issues with the care that Mr Shropshire had received.

Last night Mr Shropshire said he was concerned what would have happened if somebody facing a more serious illness had found themselves in his position.

He said: “My illness was not life-threatening – but what if it had been someone having a heart attack?”

The 39-year-old was left disabled after contracting pneumonia and a virus last year.

Mr Shropshire, who with wife Tanya runs The Station Inn pub, in Yeadon, Leeds, now has to use use a wheelchair or crutches to get around.

Last month, on March 19, he fell and cut his knee, which needed stitches.

A few days later his leg was red and swollen and he felt ill. He rang NHS Direct who told him to go to a walk-in centre in nearby Bradford.

Mr Shropshire took a taxi to Hillside Bridge Health Centre, in the Barkerend area of the city, which is commissioned by NHS Bradford and Airedale but run by a private firm.

On arriving just after 2pm on March 24, Mr Shropshire explained he had been sent by NHS Direct.

“The woman said ‘they are always doing that, we have got no appointments and you’ll have to go elsewhere’,” Mr Shropshire said.

He says he struggled towards the exit on his crutches, but then he felt faint and keeled over in a corridor.

After coming round, Mr Shropshire says he contacted NHS Direct and the operator sent an ambulance to him.

The ambulance took Mr Shropshire to Bradford Royal Infirmary, where he was diagnosed with the infection cellulitis, which is a skin infection caused by bacteria.

He was treated with antibiotics before being discharged from Bradford Royal Infirmary last Monday.

Mr Shropshire says he is now planning to make a complaint about the centre and the service he received.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service have confirmed an ambulance was sent to the centre that afternoon.

A spokeswoman for Local Care Direct, which runs the facility, said yesterday: “We treat any incident reported to us very seriously and although we have not received a formal complaint about this matter, we are grateful it has been raised and have launched an immediate investigation to establish what happened.

“We would be pleased to discuss this with the patient if they contact us directly,” the spokeswoman added.

The spokeswoman pledged that if the investigation showed issues with the care provided, lessons would be learned.

[email protected]