PATIENTS at the Great Western Hospital had to wait for up to 12 hours to be seen by medics in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department over Christmas.

The hospital has blamed patients with minor ailments for causing the long delays but stressed lives were not put in danger.

The news comes almost a year to the day that the hospital, which opened in December 2002, was forced to shut its doors for 12 hours to all but non-life threatening cases.

Meanwhile, a trade union, which has members inside the £170 million hospital, claimed that had there been a major incident such as a rail crash or a motorway pile-up Swindon would not have been able to cope.

Hospital spokesman Chris Birdsall said: "Christmas is always a busy time of year for us with an increase in colds. But staff were exceptionally busy because of an unprecedented number of sick people.

"The situation was complicated by an increase in people coming to us with minor injuries and complaints.

"Some of these people could have sought more appropriate treatment from their local pharmacy.

"As a result some patients had to wait more than four hours to be seen.

"Certainly, no patients had to wait longer than 12 hours and that was a very small minority.

"All staff who worked over the festive period worked very hard to ensure waiting times were kept to a minimum."

Accurate data relating to waits is not available due to essential maintenance of computer software.

Kevin Brandstatter, of the Swindon branch of the GMB union, said the situation was unacceptable.

"A member of staff at the hospital has told us that had there been a rail crash or similar emergency we would not have coped. We would all hope and expect local health services to be able to cope over festive holidays not grind to a near-halt. If the hospital know they are likely to be busy over Christmas they should put on more staff. Patients should not have to wait 12 hours to be seen it's just not on."

Sue Rowley, director of operations at GWH, denied there would have been a problem.

"Had there been a major emergency we would have implemented our major incident policy," she said.

"Accident and Emergency was very busy but no member of staff has expressed the view that we could not have coped with a major incident."

In November we told how junior health minister Rosie Winterton on a visit to the town said Swindonians should be proud of its hospital for ensuring more than 95 per cent of patients are seen within the recommended four-hour time period.

Kevin Shoesmith