Struggling to breathe

Olivia Smith

AN angry mum has told of her disgust after her three-year-old daughter was sent home from hospital despite struggling to breathe.

Little Olivia Jones had suffered a severe asthma attack but was told to go home after waiting for eight hours to be admitted overnight to the Royal Oldham Hospital’s new children’s unit.

Olivia, out of breath and unable to manage the short walk back to the car, was later taken to North Manchester Hospital.

She ended up being kept in for three nights, thanks to her uncle — a nurse in Chorley — who stepped in to help.

“It was just a nightmare,” explained Nicola, of Failsworth.

“I’m disgusted at the way Olivia was treated.

“She could barely walk because she was struggling to breathe.”

Nicola was told to take Olivia home and administer her normal inhaler overnight. But Olivia suffered a second attack on the journey home.

Ambulance
In desperation, Nicola contacted her brother to ask him to intervene.

He called the Royal Oldham and it is claimed he was told that Olivia had been discharged because the unit had no spare beds.

Olivia was later taken by ambulance to North Manchester.

Nicola added: “Olivia was hospitalised for three days after that, which, I believe could have been avoided. She is absolutely scared to death of hospitals after that.”

Olivia is now registered as having additional needs because of the severity of her asthma.

A spokesman for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes the Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “We take all comments and complaints about our services seriously.

“We have today received a formal complaint from Ms Smith which we are investigating.

“We will look carefully and thoroughly into the circumstances surrounding the care of Olivia. A full written response will be sent to Ms Smith in due course.”