8legs: William harvey hospital, ashford, united kingdom

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Patient near death after leaving NHS hospital where Costa Coffee used as ward

Overcrowding at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford forced a Costa Coffee outlet to be repurposed as a temporary ward, reflecting system strain in Kent's NHS.
Nick Sheppard, 75, reportedly spent more than a day on a trolley in a packed A&E corridor before disappearing from the ward.
After around 44 hours away from the hospital, Nick was found in a ditch suffering hypothermia and dehydration, highlighting the risks of corridor care.
Janet Pott, Nick’s partner, called the ordeal the worst 44 hours of her life and questioned whether proper beds could have prevented it.
The East Kent Hospitals Trust said the incident is under review and offered apologies to Nick and his family.
CCTV later showed Nick leaving the hospital via a back gate at 10:06pm, a detail that connected the initial disappearance to his escape from wards.
Nick spent 19 days in intensive care before being moved to a ward, facing kidney failure and a bowel bleed requiring transfusions.
The incident has become a case study in NHS trolley waits and bed shortages in Kent, underscoring systemic pressures.
Janet voiced distrust in the NHS, stating that overcrowding and corridor care eroded faith in the system for her and others.
Nick’s initial treatment for concussion and head injuries occurred after a fall, with subsequent movement to a corridor bed amid crisis conditions.

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