A mother-of-two is today seeking legal action against Ipswich Hospital over claims her spinal surgery was delayed by nearly two weeks due to an alleged administrative error.

IPSWICH: A mother-of-two is today seeking legal action against Ipswich Hospital over claims her spinal surgery was delayed by nearly two weeks due to an alleged administrative error.

Sue Read, of Renfrew Road, Ipswich, fears she may be partially paralysed for the rest of her life after doctors allegedly failed to operate quickly enough.

The hospital is currently investigating the case.

The 45-year-old was admitted to the Heath Road hospital on January 7 after experiencing sudden and severe spinal pain, which left her unable to walk properly.

Fearing she had suffered a mini stroke, doctors performed a number of tests, including an MRI scan.

Mrs Read claims medics were able to make a diagnosis very quickly that evening - that she had three prolapsed discs in her neck - but she alleges they did not call her in for emergency surgery until January 20.

She was eventually operated on the following day to replace one of the discs with a metal plate.

Mrs Read, who previously worked in the medical records department at Ipswich Hospital, said: “I think I would have been in better shape if I had been operated on the first time I went into the hospital. Maybe this damage would not have occurred.”

Mrs Read - who is married to Ken, 45, and has two daughters - says she understands a delay was caused when a letter from a specialist was misplaced. She is seeking legal action.

Jan Rowsell, Ipswich Hospital spokeswoman, said: “We take all concerns very seriously. We will be formally investigating this.”