A URANQUINTY man faced such a long wait in Wagga Base Hospital's emergency department at the weekend that his family took him home and called an ambulance instead.
Bill Brown had a fall at home and his wife Lyn and son took him to hospital on Sunday, in severe pain.
Mr Brown was unable to sit down throughout his hour-long wait for medical attention, as he had pinched a nerve in the base of his spine.
Mrs Brown said she provided emergency department staff with her husband's details and asked for a bed or stretcher for him to wait for treatment, but was told none were available.
Her husband was forced to stand up while he waited to be treated, supported by his wife and son and two walking sticks.
"I didn't go there to jump the queue, I didn't want to be first in line," Mrs Brown said.
"I just wanted a bed or stretcher for him."
While he was waiting, Mr Brown's pain worsened.
"Bill was sweating with the pain," Mrs Brown said.
"All I can say is it was heart-wrenching to see the pain my husband was in."
Mrs Brown said eventually the situation was so bad her son couldn't take it anymore.
"He got his car, he drove it to the hospital doors and patients were helping us get Bill in the car," she said.
The family went to their daughter's house in Wagga, where they called an ambulance to take them back to the hospital.
"We could not move him out of the car," Mrs Brown said.
"Thank God for the ambulance drivers, Mark and Darren. They were the best. They helped in five minutes, they got him out of pain straight away."
Mr Brown said once they returned to the hospital, he received the treatment he needed, including scans to determine the extent of his injuries.
"I can't praise the doctor and the staff high enough," he said.
"You can't go past their treatment once we got in ? it's just how to get in to start with."
Yesterday, a senior staff member contacted Mr and Mrs Brown to make a formal apology, but Mrs Brown said while she appreciated the gesture, it was too late.
"It's not the apology I wanted, it was just the help," she said.
Greater Southern Area Health Service would not provide anyone for interview yesterday, but released a statement attributed to central sector general manager Jill Ludford.
"Mr Brown experienced ongoing discomfort in the emergency department waiting room prior to follow-up testing," the statement said.
"Mr Brown was later referred to his general practitioner after diagnosis to make arrangements for ongoing management, as deemed necessary.
"We are concerned about the delay Mr Brown experienced when trying to access a bed and regret any distress caused."
The statement said all the emergency department beds were full at the time.
Mrs Brown challenged the NSW Health Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, to visit Wagga Base Hospital.
"If she's got the guts, come to the hospital, I challenge her to come to the hospital," Mrs Brown said.
"It was just such a let-down."
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