A MOTHER who was left in agony outside a doctors' clinic while she waited for an ambulance, is today launching an official complaint.

IPSWICH: A mother, who was left in agony outside a doctors' clinic while she waited for an ambulance, is today launching an official complaint.

Nicki Hubert, who is today recovering after her appendix burst on the way to the Riverside Clinic, is furious after she was left stranded outside the out-of-hours clinic.

The 29-year-old, of Kestrel Road, Chantry, gave birth to Lexi on Wednesday, January 13, and two days later, started to get severe abdominal pains. Her mother, Ann Moos, called the out-of-hours GP service and they were advised to go to the clinic in Landseer Road.

On the way, the pain became more intense and by the time they reached the clinic, Mrs Hubert could not get out of the car.

Mrs Moos, 57, said: “The receptionist went inside to get a doctor and came back a few minutes later to say that the doctors were all busy with patients and the best thing was to take her to A&E. As I could not move her back into the car I rang an ambulance and we waited for 10 to 15 minutes for it to arrive.

“How the doctors could leave us outside the door like that without a bit of help was unbelievable.”

Take Care Now (TCN), which runs the clinic, said the doctors were not able to examine her in the car and so advised her to go to the hospital's emergency department.

Mrs Hubert, who is also mum to three-year-old Taylor, said: “We were outside by ourselves and I was in terrible pain. I was disgusted with the way they treated us. I had just given birth and was really worried because a lot of people haemorrhage afterwards.”

She was taken to Ipswich Hospital where it was diagnosed she had appendicitis. She had surgery and is now on the road to recovery.

David Cocks, chief executive of TCN, said: “As soon as our clinical team was made aware of the situation, they recommended that Nicki Hubert should be taken to accident and emergency. We regret that Nicki feels let down but we believe the out-of-hours GP made the right assessment.”

Have you experienced something similar? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.