Elderly man left to go to loo outside Grantham Hospital
BBCAn elderly man had to go to the loo in public view after he was stopped from entering a hospital to use the toilets, it has been claimed.
It follows a complaint to United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust over a recent incident at Grantham Hospital.
NHS campaigner Nicky Griffiths said the man, who had taken laxatives ahead of a planned procedure, was denied access after asking to use the facilities.
The trust apologised and said it was investigating.
'Should have been avoided'
Mrs Griffiths, who is part of 'Is Anyone Listening Lincolnshire', said in a letter to the trust that the man was due to have a procedure in the hospital's Covid-free area.
However, she said, he was not allowed to enter the building before the time of his planned visit, despite being "desperate".
"As a result [of being refused entry], he was forced to defecate outside, in public view," she said.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the trust's chief executive Andrew Morgan said the incident "was completely unacceptable" and "could and should have been avoided".
"We have apologised to the gentleman concerned and are dealing directly with him in relation to this incident," he said.
A spokesperson for the trust added: "We are investigating what happened and are working with our security teams to ensure that this type of situation does not occur again."
Earlier this year, the trust announced plans to turn parts of the hospital into a Covid-free site.
Clarification 9 October 2020: This article was updated to better reflect the reason for the man's non-admittance at the hospital.
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