WARRINGTON Hospital has apologised to a patient who was kept awake for three days after being given medication that was not meant for him.

Gordon Whalley, from Lymm, was admitted to the hospital on Monday, January 15, after encountering breathing difficulties.

He was then admitted to ward A7, where he believes he was given medication intended for the patient who had occupied the bed before him.

The tablets, which included drugs to combat insomnia, left the 62-year-old unable to sleep for three days.

Wife Janice Whalley said: “Gordon couldn’t breathe and we thought he was having a heart attack.

“We took him to A&E - who were terrific when they were very busy - and they said his lung had partially collapsed.

“After about seven hours he was taken to the ward at about 9pm.

“The next day he rang me and said he’d been absolutely hyper all night and that he couldn’t sleep.

“They told him that they’d given him medication that shouldn’t have been administered to him and should have been given to another patient.

“In all, they’d given him six doses of these various drugs for things like bipolar, epilepsy and high blood pressure.”

Mr Whalley was discharged from hospital on Wednesday, January 17, but has since been re-admitted to the same respiratory ward after it was discovered on Monday that his lung had partially collapsed again.

Mrs Whalley added: “They played it all down and just treated it as though it was one of those things, but it was really serious - they could have killed him.

“For three days he had insomnia and couldn’t sleep.

“When we had to go back we said that we’d like to go to Liverpool instead because we’re not happy with how we’ve been treated, but there was nowhere else that we could go.

“We’re worried that we’re going to get repercussions because he’s back on the ward where they’ve made the mistake and we’ve complained about them.

“I’m really worried that if this has happened once then it could happen again.”

Warrington Hospital has launched an internal investigation into the matter and apologised to Mr Whalley.

Professor Simon Constable, deputy chief executive and executive medical director at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Patient safety is paramount and we are currently undertaking an internal investigation into this matter, therefore it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment until complete.

“We have offered our apologies to the patient and their family, and if they wish to discuss further we are more than happy to facilitate.”