A SERIOUSLY-ill cancer patient was left lying on a Hampshire hospital trolley for hours without treatment.

Jadu Nandan, known as John, 60, eventually walked out of casualty fearing he would die from internal bleeding after giving up hope he would be seen by a doctor.

Southampton General Hospital has confirmed Mr Nandan waited for more than three hours although he says it was more like four. It is the latest revelation to emerge from an early winter health crisis in Hampshire.

Last month, the Daily Echo revealed that the general hospital had contacted family doctors across the city warning that all departments were operating at full capacity.

After his unacceptably long wait for treatment, Mr Nandan said: "I will die some day but I felt the hospital did not put any value on my life.

"When nobody saw me after more than four-and-a-half hours, I put my life in my own hands and walked out.''

The grandfather, who has cancer of the bowel and liver, recently began an intensive course of chemotherapy but fell ill at his home in Northumberland Road, St Mary's, on Wednesday evening.

He said his son Michael rushed him to the accident and emergency department at the general hospital at 7.40pm on the advice of his GP because he was bleeding into his colostomy bag.

Mr Nandan, a retired bus driver, said: "I was in plenty of pain when I arrived. I was seen after 20 minutes by a nurse who told me to get undressed and she gave me a gown.

"I was placed on a trolley bed in the recovery position and was there from that time until 12.40am and no-one bothered to check how heavy my bleeding was.

"As this happened to me it could happen to anyone else.

"Not only do I want an apology but to make sure it doesn't happen again."

But a hospital spokeswoman last night disputed Mr Nandan's version of events.

The spokeswoman said a computer recorded Mr Nandan taking a ticket for treatment at 8.55pm, almost an hour-and-a-half after Mr Nandan said he arrived.

She said a nurse reported his departure as 12.15am, meaning a total wait of just under three-and-a-half hours.

"Staff were tied up in the resuscitation room with an even more critically-ill patient," she said.

"He left at 12.15 saying he didn't want to wait any

longer but despite advice he refused to stay.

"It is still not acceptable but it is slightly different."

Southampton Itchen MP and Health mInister John Denham said: "I'm very concerned to hear of Mr Nandan's concerns.

"I want the trust to act quickly in following up his case and have asked the regional office to give me a full report."