The chaotic scenes of patients being treated in corridors have been described by one visitor to Medway Maritime Hospital’s A&E department.

But Peter Clements, 68, had nothing but praise for the staff who he said were doing a wonderful, magnificent job despite the conditions they were working in.

He said: “When my wife and I arrived in the minor injuries unit it was complete chaos, all of the corridors were jammed with trolleys with people being treated and awaiting treatment.

“But the staff were doing a wonderful job and they were very patient, very considerate and very caring, not rushing at all, making sure they dealt with each patient in turn, in the most extreme conditions.”

The former policeman said he had experienced many stressful situations in his career, but
nothing compared to what the doctors and nurses were dealing with.

His comments come in the week when the CQC said it was concerned by the lack of active clinical leadership, and said the department could not cope.

But Mr Clements said the health watchdog should not be critical of hospital staff but instead should be looking at their employers – the government.

He said: “The problems were not of staff making but of government policies. There just was not enough room at this hospital for the number of patients to be treated.”

Mr Clements attended the hospital after his 93-year-old mother-in-law, Elizabeth Couchman, was found collapsed on the floor at her home on the Isle of Sheppey.

He said a doctor examined Mrs Couchman, who suffers from Alzheimer’s and took time to discuss her problems and arrange for further examinations and
discussions with other specialists.

“Most of this took place in corridors, having to continuously move around to let people pass and other trolleys with patients park where we were standing,” he said. “At all times we were treated with respect, care and without fuss or rush.”

He said: “The staff there should not have to work under these most terrible conditions, in fact I do not know how they do it.

“It must be very detrimental to their own health, yet they cope.”