A DISTRAUGHT Redditch woman is seeking legal advice after an operation turned into a nightmare.

Doris Howard, 59, of Walkwood, needed a pelvic floor operation after a lifting accident at work.

But the Alexandra Hospital was full and she was referred to Droitwich Spa Private Hospital on February 15, where she was treated on the NHS.

After her initial operation, Mrs Howard needed a second within a week and was given a supra pubic catheter.

This left her in considerable pain, according to her husband, Bob.

"They called me at home around 8pm on February 23 and said to come to Droitwich quickly, where I found her in serious trouble," said Mr Howard.

His wife was moved to the Alexandra at 2am, where she lay in the Medical Assessment Unit for 10 hours before being seen by a doctor.

At noon, Mrs Howard was given an x-ray and was immediately booked for her third operation within 10 days.

Surgeons found her bowel had been pierced during the catheter operation and she lay in a critical condition for three days.

A week later, Mrs Howard was told she could go home but not before the catheter, which had been left in, was removed.

Mr Howard said: "They took it out and said she could go home later that afternoon but gave her no instructions whatsoever.

"The pain gradually got worse and in the end I had no choice but to take her back to the hospital that night."

Mrs Howard had another catheter inserted the next day to relieve the pressure but again it was taken out a day later.

That night the pain returned but it took more than five hours for a doctor to see her and put in her latest catheter.

Mr Howard said: "The doctors then gave us the option of what we wanted to do next - whether she wanted to leave it in or take it out again.

"Well, by this point she had totally lost every confidence in every doctor who had treated her and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown."

Mrs Howard is recovering in a bed on the geriatric ward because the urology ward is full.

A spokesperson for the NHS Trust said: "We are sorry to hear of the circumstances surrounding Mrs Howard.

"If Mr Howard would like to talk about his concerns we would be happy to listen to them."