Loose Women star Denise Welch has opened up about her recent trip to hospital, revealing that she was forced to wait 24 hours for a hospital bed.
Today's show saw the Loose Women panel discuss the NHS Trust's recent advert for a "corridor care" doctor as pressure on Accident and Emergency departments across the UK worsens.
The TV presenter and actress had just returned from holiday when she was rushed to hospital with acute peritonitis. Speaking on the show, she said: "I'm going to say this. I was in hospital a few weeks ago.
"I was rushed into hospital. I was alright but I was in A&E for 24 hours," she added. "Now they were looking after me and there was no bed, they kept saying, 'There's no bed.'
"They wanted me on the surgical ward. [They said,] 'There's no bed, there's no bed, there's no bed.' Somebody spotted me and phoned the press - and I was in a bed in 15 minutes."
After a disappointed groan from the audience, host Charlene White added: "That's not going to go down well."
"We do have a statement from a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care," Charlene continued. "'It's shocking that corridor care has become a feature of our NHS. We will deliver a from and investment through our plan for change so the NHS is there when we need it once again.'"
Denise announced that she had been rushed to hospital after returning from holiday earlier this month.
She told the Loose Women viewers that she had been rushed to hospital after suffering with acute peritonitis - an infection of the inner lining of the abdomen.
"I got back from a lovely holiday in the Caribbean last Saturday. All bronzed looking forward to coming on here and showing off my suntan. I got rushed into hospital on the Saturday with acute peritonitis - a perforated diverticulitis," she said.
"I've been in hospital for a drip for a week! They didn't have to do surgery, they got it with antibiotics thankfully. As my mother said, 'Take me to the knacker's yard!'"
She added that she's recovering but still feeling the effects. She said: "I'm eating and believe you me, what's going on down there, I'm a Loose Women - believe you me!"
