Loose Women star Denise Welch has revealed the shocking details of her recent emergency hospital visit, where she was forced to wait 24 hours for a bed while battling excruciating pain from acute peritonitis.
The 65-year-old actress and TV presenter opened up about her ordeal on Loose Women.
The panel also discussed the NHS crisis and the shocking reality of “corridor care” in UK hospitals.
Denise revealed that she was made to wait 24 hours for a hospital bed (Credit: ITV)
Denise Welch spent 24 hours waiting for a hospital bed
The actress and presenter had just returned from a Caribbean holiday. Denise recalled how she was suddenly struck down with acute peritonitis, a severe infection of the inner lining of the abdomen.
She was rushed to A&E, where she then spent an agonising 24 hours waiting for a hospital bed.
“I was rushed into hospital. I was alright, but I was in A&E for 24 hours,” she explained.
Despite needing urgent medical attention, she was repeatedly told there were no available beds on the surgical ward.
“They wanted me on the surgical ward. They kept saying, ‘There’s no bed, there’s no bed, there’s no bed.’”
However, the situation took an unexpected turn when someone spotted her in A&E and tipped off the press.
“Somebody spotted me and phoned the press – and I was in a bed in 15 minutes,” she admitted.
Her revelation was met with a groan from the studio audience, highlighting the frustration many feel about the state of NHS care and the stark reality of who gets prioritised.
Loose Women host Charlene White reacted, saying: “That’s not going to go down well.”
The discussion also came as the panel addressed the NHS Trust’s controversial new advert for a “corridor care” doctor. This new role was created due to overwhelming pressures in A&E departments across the country.
The panel were discussing the NHS crisis (Credit: ITV)
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