Derriford Hospital has claimed that a 45-hour emergency department waiting time displayed on its screens and published on its website was an error.
The figure was publicly displayed throughout the emergency department for the entire day and was also published on the hospital's website.
At 6.30pm, the hospital’s own website claimed that the longest waiting time to see a practitioner was 2,723 minutes - equivalent to 45 hours and 23 minutes.
Plymouth Plus published the figures as they were being displayed by the hospital.
However, following publication of our story, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust contacted Plymouth Plus to claim the 45-hour figure was incorrect and had been caused by a temporary data issue.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said:
"Due to a temporary data issue the website was reading a 45hr wait. This is incorrect - the average wait to see a doctor directly in the department is 2.5hrs."
The Trust did not provide an explanation for why the incorrect figure had been displayed on screens throughout the department as well as on its website.
It has now said the average wait to see a doctor directly in the emergency department was 2.5 hours.
A total of 123 patients were in the emergency department at the time, with 46 patients waiting to be seen.
It is very important that you only attend the Emergency Department for life or limb threatening conditions.
If you need urgent treatment but it is not life threatening, you can use the Urgent Treatment Centres, available across the region.
You can use NHS 111 online to get the right help for your symptoms and find the best help nearest to you.
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