WANNABE Labour leader Emily Thornberry is at the centre of claims she was given preferential treatment at a hospital A&E.
The MP went to University College Hospital (UCLH) in central London last week after cutting her hand.
Emily Thornberry was in A&E last week after ‘badly cutting her hand’
But Vince Faulkner – who was there with a friend who was struggling to breathe – claimed that the shadow Foreign Secretary was treated quicker than others waiting.
He said: She came in and it seemed that she was recognised.
She had a much faster service. The nurses were around her.
She [Thornberry] had her left hand up in the air and they quite quickly put it in a sling for her.
We were there for over two hours in total. It felt as if we werent as important.
I was there with someone struggling quite badly to breathe, they in a lot of distress.
We were still sat there at that time she left – although wed been there half an hour before she arrived.
We were in a queue system so we were very concerned and frustrated.
‘VERY FRUSTRATED’
Patients attending A&E departments register and are normally pre-assessed by a nurse or doctor – known as triage.
This is meant to ensure that those with the most serious conditions are seen first.
Thornberry is MP for Islington South and Finsbury – a short distance from the hospital.
Previously seen as an ally of Jeremy Corbyn she has said she will stand to replace him as Labour leader.
A spokesman for Thornberry said: Like everyone else at A&E that day she waited to be seen for her badly-cut and bleeding hand for more than an hour.
At no stage did any member of staff in the waiting room acknowledge her or treat her differently.
Emily is sorry that another patient and their friend had a bad experience waiting for treatment, but that had nothing to do with her.
Figures reveal that between July and September last year 85 per cent of A&E patients at UCLH were treated, discharged or admitted within the four- hour target. The national target is 95 per cent.
A UCLH spokesman said: Patients in our emergency department are seen and treated according to their clinical needs. We cannot comment on individual cases.
University College Hospital is close to Islington South and Finsbury, where Emily Thornberry is MP
