A WARD at Barnsley Hospital could be dedicated to people with blood cancers after an elderly woman suffering from an aggressive form of leukaemia was left waiting 15 hours for a transfusion.
At the board meeting, David Peverelle, the hospital's chief operating officer, outlined what action had been taken since the incident in December.
This included 'ring fencing' two beds on ward 24 to guarantee admissions for patients with similar needs, with plans to dedicate whole ward to haematology oncology patients - such as those suffering from leukaemia and lymphoma.
The clinical director for haematology, Dominique Chan-Lam, has also been asked to make sure adequate medical cover was in place from all physicians to support patients' needs.
The actions came after the elderly woman, who regularly received blood and platelet transfusions, was urged to go to hospital following a blood report.
Her condition meant she was susceptible to a variable blood count and severe bleeding - which she had suffered before arriving at hospital.
The bleeding worsened until she received the transfusion 15 hours later.
A report said: "This was an unacceptable delay, resulting in increased bleeding and considerable discomfort throughout that time.
"Understandably the family had expressed concerns and the issue had been, and continued to be, investigated as a formal complaint."
