62-year-old Madeleine Butcher was admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital at around 3 AM on Sunday due to a suspected infection. She's been battling ovarian cancer since 2022.
She received blood tests around 30 minutes after arriving and saw a doctor approximately three and a half hours later, who agreed it was likely sepsis. Madeleine and her husband, John, were then told they'd have to potentially wait for up to 36 hours for further analysis and treatment.
Madeleine explained that sitting for that long was uncomfortable. This is due to a hernia from her hysterectomy and the position of her tumor. When she asked if a bed — or even a reclining chair — was available, staff would confirm the unavailability. Lacking options, a doctor gave Madeleine a blanket and pillow so she could lie on the floor.
Per the New York Post, John says the nurses took action once they saw his wife on the floor. They managed to get her a gurney within half an hour. It wasn't until Wednesday evening that Madeleine was admitted to a ward. John was immensely upset with what he ultimately believed was carelessness on the hospital's part.
"I didn't realize how angry I was until I got home and I looked at the picture of her on the floor," John said. "How is that acceptable in this day and age? A terminally ill patient lying on the floor? I still can't get over the fact that a doctor thought it was acceptable for her to lie on the floor for that long."
A Hospital Receives Backlash For Making Terminally Ill Patient Sleep On The Floor
"The nurses got her a trolley within half an hour of seeing her on the floor. So, I feel there must have been trolleys available at the time," John added. "It's not ideal. But at least a trolley is more comfortable than the floor or the chairs in A and E. The corridors weren't that full, it wasn't that busy from what I could see, but then I couldn't see how short-staffed they were."
Madeleine is currently on sick leave from her job. As of now, she remains in the hospital while she is treated for sepsis.
