A WOMAN has labelled the treatment of her father at Hereford County Hospital "atrocious".

Vicky Seager says her father, Vince, has now been waiting for treatment to a broken leg and dislocated ankle for six weeks.

The former military man, who doesn't wish his full name to be published, is this week due to travel to Worcester to see a consultant after his family became increasingly frustrated by the service in his home city.

His initial injury nightmare began in March when he broke his leg and cracked his pelvis after falling while suffering with gastroenteritis.

"He has a great pain threshold and carried on walking around with it but then his ankle gave way and he dislocated it in June."

Mrs Seager, who lives in Ledbury, says her father didn't immediately tell her of the problem but, having visited the County Hospital's A&E department on June 11, was told to come back the following day to see a consultant.

But Mrs Seager says this appointment did not go ahead, with her father then receiving a letter up to a fortnight later giving him an appointment date of last Friday.

"I said it was an emergency but they said the consultant is on holiday," she said.

"They said he's the only one who deals with ankles, but he's not."

Mrs Seager says they attended last Friday's appointment only to be told the consultant wasn't there again.

She said a registrar then noticed a small blister on his foot and, during a phone conversation later that afternoon, the daughter was told her father couldn't be seen for a further three weeks in case the blister became infected.

The family has since secured an appointment with a consultant at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, which is due to take place by the end of this week.

"The general treatment at Hereford Hospital has just been atrocious," added Mrs Seager. "When it comes to this matter it has been horrendous."

Wye Valley NHS Trust said it is "sorry to hear" about Vince's experience.

"The Trust takes this seriously and will fully investigate the issues surrounding his treatment," said the Trust in a statement.

"We will involve him and his family in this process.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage, other than to confirm that we have made arrangements for him to be seen by an orthopaedic specialist at a neighbouring Trust, hopefully by the end of the week."