A PATIENT paying a return visit to hospital for treatment to her broken ankle ended up slipping on a highly polished floor as soon as she arrived.

Elizabeth Steele, who lives at Staindrop, broke her ankle on Tuesday of last week. She was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital where, after treatment, she was sent home with crutches and a temporary splint and asked to return the following day.

This she did, but as her driver searched for a parking space, Mrs Steele was left to make her own way to outpatients. However, as she negotiated the reception area, she slipped and fell, screaming as she twisted her back on the way down, which left her with a painful hip.

"The upshot was I immediately sent for another X-ray, which is adding expense to the NHS budget, when it could have been avoided," said Mrs Steele, formerly curator at Raby Castle, where she was responsible for the health and safety of the paying public.

"I cannot understand a hospital of all places having such a highly polished surface," she added. "I fell flat on my back and was so shaken I thought I was going to be sick. There was no warning of a slippery surface."

As staff rushed to her aid, they told how they had previously asked at management meetings for something to be done, after a number of elderly people had been involved in similar incidents.

John Saxby, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington Hospitals NHS Trust, said he was not aware of any problem with the floor until he received Mrs Steele's complaint.

"I am looking into her concerns," he added. "I understand how upsetting it must have been for her and I am sorry for any hurt or distress.

"We always investigate accidents that happen at our hospitals and we will check this out to see if there is anything we need to do."

He said he would be responding personally to Mrs Steele's letter.

In the meantime Mrs Steele has taken legal advice from a local firm, which has agreed to act on her behalf in raising the issue with Mr Saxby.

On the advice of her solicitors she has also been in contact with the Health and Safety Executive at Newcastle.

"I am not just pursuing this for myself. I don't want it to happen to anyone else in the future," added Mrs Steele