Patient lay dead for over four hours at 'inadequate' A&E department

  • Health

One of London's busiest accident and emergency departments has been ordered to make improvements after regulators found there were not enough doctors to meet demand.

In one incident, a failure to take hourly rounds meant one patient had lay dead for up to four and a half hours before being found - whilst they noted another patient had to wait three hours to see a doctor after arriving into the department with chest pains.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated North Middlesex University Hospital's emergency care services as "inadequate" in a report issued on Wednesday.

A sign outside the North Middlesex Hospital in London. Credit: PA

In February 2016, only 67.2% of patients were seen and treated within the national four hour target, compared to an England average of 88%.

Staff at the hospital told inspectors they were worried about patient safety because of the competency of middle grade doctors.

These doctors were often left in charge of the emergency services overnight, with no consultant presence after 11pm.

An ambulance waits outside an accident and emergency ward. Credit: PA

The report added doctors were "unable or unwilling to take decisions", meaning in some cases, emergency patients were left waiting until the following morning to find out whether they were admitted or sent home.

Dr Cathy Cale, North Middlesex University Hospital Medical Director, said they are "taking all necessary steps" to improve services: