Pain in Gordon’s leg was a pain in the neck!

hobbling around in circles: Gordon Clarke

HEALTH chiefs are investigating confusion over the care available at NHS walk-in services and the Royal Oldham Hospital’s A&E department.

The push for a clearer understanding among both patients and medical staff comes after a case involving a man seeking urgent non-emergency treatment for a leg wound.

Gordon Clarke (66) says he had no choice but to visit the hospital’s A&E department after being unable to get treatment from his GP’s surgery, district nurses or even Oldham’s NHS Walk-In centre.

Gordon, of Trent Road, Shaw, cut his leg while on holiday and the wound was stitched and dressed before he came home on December 3.

Next morning he visited his GP in Trent Road, High Crompton, to have the wound checked and redressed but was told seeing a district nurse would be faster.

The retired driver called the district nurses but couldn’t get an appointment until five days later.

They suggested the NHS Walk-In Services near Oldham Civic Centre.

“When I got there a receptionist told me nurses couldn’t treat my wound and weren’t insured or qualified to do so.

“I was basically asking for a big sticking plaster to be changed but the receptionist said nurses couldn’t do it. I had no choice but to go the Royal Oldham’s A&E department.”

Gordon hot up at 4.30am next day to have the greatest chance of quick treatment - which he received wityhin 90 minutes.

“The public are always being told not to clog hospitals with non-emergency cases, yet we have no choice for treatment like this.

“What kind of nurses are based at the NHS Walk-In Service? I’m amazed a multi-million pound NHS site can’t offer treatment like this. Different parts of the NHS seem to be giving different advice about where to go for treatment. No wonder there are problems.”

An Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group spokesman said walk-in centre facilities can vary: “In this case, we understand the patient wasn’t able to access the treatment he needed at the Oldham walk-in service after declining an appointment with a district nurse. The patient attended A&E where his minor injury was treated.

“We are focused on improving patient experience, and value all feedback from patients on the services we commission.”