NHS watchdogs looked on as an elderly woman was forced to wait nearly 17 hours in an Oxford casualty department.

Now the Community Health Council has written to the regional NHS office asking for an answer to the situation.

Council members spotted the emergency patient at the John Radcliffe Hospital as they took part in a nationwide survey on waiting times in accident and emergency departments. It was organised by the National Association of Community Health Councils.

They arrived at the hospital at 4.30pm on Monday to carry out a spot check and found the woman, who has not been named, still waiting to be admitted after arriving at 11.40pm on Sunday.

CHC deputy chief officer Val Garner said the group was not surprised by its findings because of the number of bed closures at the John Radcliffe and the desperate shortage of nurses.

She said: "The CHC is concerned that patient care is undermined in such conditions and that staff morale is also suffering.

"We have called on the regional office to help the local hospital find some solutions. This is not just a winter problem any more but increasingly happening all year round."

The CHC has now written to NHS regional office chief executive Barbara Stocking to find out what action is being taken.

They also recorded waiting numbers at The Horton, Banbury, yesterday but found the casualty department was very quiet.

Megan Turmezei, a spokesman for the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We always listen to the CHC and what it has to say on the many issues that concern us."

Story date: Wednesday 02 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.