Hospitals warned on deadly risk of delay
Patients are being put at risk by "constant and prolonged delays" when they arrive at A&E departments in the West Midlands, an ambulance chief claims.
Patients are being put at risk by "constant and prolonged delays" when they arrive at A&E departments in the West Midlands, an ambulance chief claims.
Sir Graham Meldrum, chairman of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS trust, said patients were being put at risk on a daily basis, with 7,600 delays last October. In one case, an investigation was launched following the death of a woman who waited three hours to be seen by A&E staff after being taken by ambulance to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital.
The Healthcare Commission probe into the case, two years ago, said there was no evidence her health had been assessed until she was handed over to A&E staff, three hours after her arrival.
In a letter to hospital bosses, Sir Graham wrote: "The risks of delayed hand-over cannot be overstated.
"The constant and prolonged delays present risks to two patient groups: the patient waiting in the corridor, with less than ideal clinical care, and forced to endure cramped/busy corridor environments; and the patients who dial 999 in an emergency and receive a delayed ambulance res-ponse, while ambulances are rendered unavailable whilst queuing at hospital departments."
In one six-month period, hospitals in the region closed their A&E units to all ambulances on 472 occasions, and 999 crews had to take patients elsewhere.
Paramedics believe hospital managers divert the ambulances to shift pressure on to other hospitals, ensuring they do not miss Government targets to treat patients within four hours.
Rob Ashford, the region's ambulance trust director of operations, wrote to all hospital chief executives, saying he could no longer condone the practice because of the inherent danger to patients.
In response to Sir Graham, Clive Wilkinson, chairman of Heart of England Foundation trust, said: "There seems to be a culture in your organisation of sending what appear to be semi-threatening letters.
Staff give "the highest priority to patient safety", and he questioned the accuracy of the figures.
