A father has criticised Airedale Hospital after an ambulance mix-up caused distress for him and his family

Mark Newbould, 54, called an ambulance after suffering severe back pains at home.

As he was transported to the Steeton hospital, his girlfriend, Susan Garner, 63, and son, Ryan Newbould, 26, followed in their car, but lost sight of the ambulance when they went to park.

Arriving in A&E, they were told Mr Newbould was having a severe coronary and was being taken by ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary.

But in fact it was another patient with the same first name.

Unaware of the mix-up, Susan and Ryan jumped into the ambulance while Mr Newbould was in A&E waiting to be seen by a doctor.

“Some nurse told them it was me,” said Mr Newbould. “He had my build and was wearing an oxygen mask over his face so Susan and Ryan couldn’t see his face.”

Mr Newbould said his girlfriend, who was nearly hysterical by this point, “kissed this man on the forehead and said to him ‘it will be all right’.”

“Why didn’t someone come to check on me?” said Mr Newbould. “It’s dreadful that this happened.

“We all know that they’re under-staffed and you sometimes have to cut corners but this kind of thing shouldn’t be happening.”

The hospital has apologised for the error and has launched an investigation.

Once Susan and Ryan arrived at LGI, the hospital booked a taxi to take them back to Airedale.

Meanwhile, Mr Newbould said he had to spend over four hours in agony in A&E and was eventually given medication and released.

“They sent me out without a wheelchair,” said Mr Newbould.

“I got six steps out of my room and suffered a back spasm which virtually put me down on my knees. I had to be helped up by another patient.”

Mr Newbould said he was then admitted to hospital.

Andrew Catto, executive medical director at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have spoken to and met Mr Newbould and his relatives, as well as the other family, to sincerely apologise and answer any queries about the matter and to reassure them of our identification procedures for relatives, which we are reviewing in light of this.

“The staff are devastated by it and never had any deliberate intent to cause worry by misdirecting anybody.”

Hospital representatives are also investigating the care Mr Newbould received while in A&E.

Mr Catto added: “We will be investigating this and letting him know the outcome.”