A MUM who spent 31 hours on a trolley at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has called the staff who treated her "superheroes" and called for more to be done to support them as they struggle to meet demand.

Helen Burton, 33, was at the hospital for an operation to treat an abscess on the top of her leg but what should have been a simple 10-minute procedure turned into a nightmare as there were no free beds.

Speaking of her ordeal, the mum-of-two said: "My treatment should have been a simple procedure but unfortunately the NHS was unable to provide that.

"On Monday, I was transferred here and placed amongst countless others in an overflow corridor on a trolley which I was on continuously for 31 hours.

"At one point we were in an overflow for the overflow area, whilst others were being treated in ambulances."

Despite her ordeal, Miss Burton thanked the staff at the hospital for the efforts, calling for more support for NHS workers.

She said: "The staff that cared for me have been outstanding, dedicated and nothing short of superheroes.

"Over the last 48 hours alone I've seen doctors, nurses and the rest of the team battling to serve in overcrowded conditions with minimal resources.

"And I know that's a tiny snippet of what must be really going on. NHS staff need a voice. They want better care for their patients.

"I get to go home, whilst dedicated NHS staff choose every day to come here and serve."

"I'll be writing to PALS (patient advice and liaison service) and to anyone else I think effective, but I want to thank each and every person who gets up and works in these conditions; keeping everything going for the people that need it, whilst being failed by the people who should be governing."

Miss Burton, from Alvechurch, has since been discharged and is at home recovering with her family.

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “In common with many Trusts locally and nationally, we continue to face very high levels of demand for all our services and in particular urgent care services.

“Despite our best efforts, this does mean that patients are having to wait longer to be seen and admitted than we would wish. Any delay in a patient’s care is deeply regrettable and we apologise to anyone who has faced longer waits for diagnosis or treatment as a result.

“We are continuing to work with our partners in other local NHS organisations and the council to make sure all the health and care facilities in the county are being used to best effect.

"This is to ensure that patients can be offered suitable alternatives to ED where possible, and also to ensure that any patients in our hospitals who are medically fit can be discharged in a safe and timely manner to free up beds.

“While we are unable to comment on the details of individual cases, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss the individuals care, and would encourage them to get in touch with their concerns.”