When Jean Wormwell's husband Bill, 84, was eventually admitted to Bridlington Hospital, she said she was apalled at what she found.

Mrs Wormwell MBE, 81, of Viking Road, Bridlington, said: "The nursing staff are wonderful but they were run off their feet.

"Staff nurses were having to do everything, even admitting patients and looking after beds.

"Bill was seen by a doctor and had chest and lung X-rays.

"He was treated well but the staff were chasing their tails and it was very difficult for them to do the job they have to do.

"The morale of all the staff was apalling, they are so demoralised.

"I think Alan Johnson (Secretary of State for Health) should come here and see what this trust is doing."

Her husband had been suffering breathing difficulties for a few days before they contacted the out-of-hours service last Monday evening.

She was told it would take around three hours before a doctor could visit him and she was advised that he should go to hospital.

Mrs Wormwell was told Bill would have to be taken by ambulance to Scarborough Hospital because a bed was not available at Bridlington, and that he would then be brought back to Bridlington Hospital the following morning when a bed would be free.

She said: "What is the point of that, never mind the cost? Also, had I been on my own, I would have had no way of getting back to Bridlington other than having to pay £30 for a taxi.

"My daughter, who is a retired nurse, came over and we looked after him at home.

"He was admitted to Kent Ward in Bridlington on Tuesday morning and was released on Wednesday.

"Then I read the hospital trust is spending thousands of pounds on new administration staff. How can it do that when conditions are so bad at Bridlington Hospital and where has it got that money from?"

Mrs Wormwell, well known as a Bridlington hospital supporter and a leading member of Pensioners Action Group East Riding, said she no longer "believed a word" the trust said.

She is a member of the High Level Project Board which is made up of doctors, consultants, managers and representives of the patient and public forum.

"The purpose of it is to enable the trust to update us about what is going on at Bridlington Hospital but we just keep being fobbed off," she said.

Gilly Collinson, communications manager for the hospital trust and also a member of the Project Board, said: "Jean is a great campaigner for Bridlington Hospital and we have a great deal of respect for her so it is worrying to hear her concerns.

"We will certainly be following these up and seeing if we can do anything to restore her confidence in the trust."

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