A Wistaston mum has begged council bosses to rethink A530 closure diversions after a heartbreaking journey almost cost the life of her nine-month-old baby.
Dawn Nelson fears that in a life critical situation, the route to Leighton Hospital is too long and slow, and is confusing for many drivers.
When her baby daughter Dulcie became very ill at home, Dawn rang 999 at 11pm and was told the wait for an ambulance was 45 minutes.
“Her lips were turning blue, she was struggling to breathe,” said Dawn.
“I made the very difficult decision to drive her to the hospital.
“I admit that I was panicked, my husband was too.
“So much so that we put her in the front seat so I could keep an eye on her while driving.”
But Dawn’s terrifying situation was about to turn even worse because of the A530 Middlewich Road closure and “confusing” diversion signs.
She set off turning right on to Rope Lane, straight over at the lights at Wells Green on to Park Drive.
She turned right on to Church Lane/Valley Road, and left the mini roundabout on to Wistaston Green Road, following the road to the Rising Sun.
She turned right at the Rising Sun lights on to the A530 to then reach the Beefeater roundabout and see diversion signs.
“I follow the diversion signs all the way back to the Rising Sun lights,” Dawn recalled.
“I continue to believe that my daughter is dying in the car next to me.
“I complete a U-turn at the lights as I have no time to follow the route. It is NOT direct and NOT quick enough.
“I travel back up the A530, I turn beside the Beefeater.
“My husband calls me as I am on Minshull New Road, and my sat nav now turns blank, due to the phone call.
“The ambulance has arrived at home. I ask if they will wait for me to come back because by now I am lost and tears are running down my face.
“The paramedic says don’t come home you are miles closer to getting help than if you come back.
“He asks me to describe my surrounds and guides me with directions on how to get to Leighton hospital A&E.
“She was struggling that much that the receptionist in A&E came straight out and grabbed the car seat from me and ran through to the A&E Children’s department.
“She shouted ‘we have one really struggling here’.
“I had three medical staff around me – two doctors one nurse.
“We were taken straight in to a bay.
“On arrival my daughters SATS were as follows. Her heart rate was 187 beats per minute. Her oxygen levels were below 90.”
The next four hours were touch and go for Dulcie in the high dependency unit.
She eventually showed signs of recovery and was admitted to ward 17 with two different steroid nebulisers, oral steroids, and oxygen.
Now Dawn has called on those responsible for the road closures and diversions to rethink.
“Who has made the decision to lengthen the journey adding critical minutes to an already stressful route?” she asked.
“There is no diversion sign at The Rising Sun traffic lights to remind or alert the driver that the road ahead is closed.
“Despite this being advertised online and social media channels this is not reaching the entire audience.
“Therefore you should surely ensure that the road closure is in place and highlighted at every opportunity especially with it being a main hospital route.
“As a parent I am begging you to rethink your diversion signs for the route to hospital.
“No parent should have to feel as I felt making the U-turn in the road thinking their baby could die at any moment.
“Is it reasonable for us to ask you to put diversion signs up at the Rising Sun Lights?
“Is it reasonable for you to ask drivers to add a minimum of fifteen minutes to a time critical journey, which makes it potentially life threatening?
“If nothing changes then how do you propose to manage this risk?”
Dawn also thanked the Leighton Hospital team who she says “work tirelessly to keep us safe and make us well”.
“I’d particularly like to single out the lady from reception who booked my daughter in and rushed us straight through to get help.
“To Sophie Coleman in A&E and the two nurses on Ward 17 – Jackie and Sara who did everything possible to ensure that my stay and Dulcie’s stay was as comfortable as possible.”
We have contacted Cheshire East Council for a response and await a reply.
(Images courtesy of Dawn Nelson)
I pointed this very fact out, before the works started , when there was still time to replan them. I have had my own crisis run to the hospital (not with as severe a case). I have had non understandable replies from CEC, my MP has tried and also Department of Transport replied saying it is down to the locals. No reply from the Health Minister.
Dawn. The good news is Dulcie is ok the bad news is the chances of you getting a reply from the Officers at CEC is remote as they do not accept any responsibility for what happens in the Borough. If you have been following the reports and comments in the media about the closure the Interim Director in Charge would not answer questions from our Councillors and passed them to a junior officer. CEC is not fit for purpose in its present form and composition.
This is terrible, the Councillors and Senior Officers at Cheshire East will have blood on their hands unless they sort out this totally unnecessary closure of Middlewich Road.