A GLASGOW hospital has been rapped for delaying an emergency scan that could have prevented a woman suffering long-term health problems.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been ­ordered to apologise to a patient for care failures involving a specialist at the Southern General.

The woman went to A&E at Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire ­after she woke up on a weekend morning and discovered her leg and foot were completely numb.

She was admitted to hospital with a possible diagnosis of a serious condition called cauda equina syndrome, which is classed as a medical emergency and can cause paralysis.

Patients at Monklands have no access to MRI scanning at weekends and out-of-hours so doctors sought specialist advice from a neuro- logical specialist at the Southern General.

However, despite her initial diagnosis, the consultant said an emergency scan was not required and she was not scanned until Monday at Monklands Hospital.

The scan confirmed doctors' fears that was suffering from the serious condition and she was operated on the next day at the Southern.

The patient, who has not been named, said the delay in operating had left her with long-term health problems including permanent nerve damage and bladder problems.

Public Health Ombudsman Jim Martin said the specialist at the Southern General had wrongly failed to assess her symptoms as a medical emergency.

Mr Martin said he could not say with certainty that earlier surgery would have prevented her long-term health problems.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "We fully accept the recommendations. We are also working with other NHS Boards to implement appropriate protocols and guidance for spinal surgery referrals."

A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire said: "We accept the recommendation the ombudsman made to both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and ourselves. We will work with our colleagues in Glasgow to implement it."