A TEENAGER who took an overdose of medication lay untreated in a hospital bed for 12 hours.

Alison Flatman was 15 when she overdosed on sodium valporate, which had been prescribed to her for suspected epilepsy.

She was rushed to Middlesbrough General Hospital at 2am on November 23, 1987, but was not seen by a consultant until 2pm that day.

When she was finally examined she had developed hypoglycaemia, where her blood sugar was reduced to a dangerously low level, and suffered brain damage as a result. She is now permanently physically and mentally disabled.

Her battle for damages was settled against Tees Health Authority during a short hearing at The High Court sitting in Newcastle yesterday. Mr Justice Field approved a settlement figure of £600,000.

The court heard that a consultant in charge at the time had no recollection of her being seen during his ward round and the hospital accepted that to go unseen for a 12-hour period was "unacceptable".

Alison's mother, Joan, now cares for her daughter full-time at their Teesside home.