After suffering a fall at home, my 82-year-old father was admitted to the emergency department by ambulance on the morning of July 26. Later that day he was admitted to Orthopaedic Ward 1 waiting for surgery for a broken femur.

While I accept delays at hospitals are common and that priority is given to emergencies, I cannot accept that a frail 82-year-old with a broken femur is kept waiting in hospital for seven days,. He had to fast for four days in a row from midnight and for two days in a row until after 2.30 p.m. his surgery was postponed. He was operated on August 1 at 2 p.m.

I am also aware that another elderly patient waited for the same amount of time. I hope these are isolated incidents but they still need to be independently investigated.

While I cannot point my fingers towards anybody in the medical profession, I can certainly point my fingers at the current administration: the minister should shoulder the responsibility for this misery.

I am hoping he will personally intervene and tell us what went so horribly wrong. If the minister fails to act I am more than confident others will suffer the same misery my father did. I want to strongly make the point that my complaint is not a reflection on the emergency department and all the staff of OW1. Staff at OW1 and the emergency department can only be described as caring, compassionate, loving, understanding and hard working. I thank them from my heart.