Patient ‘waited over 19 hours’ outside emergency department in Worcestershire
Patients are at increased risk of pressure injuries from lying for long periods on ambulance trolleys due to handover delays in hospitals, a CQC report has found.
During an inspection of the Worcestershire Health and Care system from November 21-23 last year the regulatory body reported delayed ambulance response times and unmet handover targets which reflected national trends.
It also reveals hours lost due to a delayed handover increased from 6,000 to 33,000 per month between April 2019 and March 2022.
On one of the inspection days one patient waited for more than 19 hours outside the emergency department and the average wait time was 6.5 hours.
The report reads: “Lengthy delays at hospitals increased risk to patients, particularly those that had been lying on trolleys or stretchers in ambulances, for longer periods.
“It was unclear who was responsible for the personal care of patients whilst waiting in the ambulance.
“Ambulance staff were not trained in personal care or to use some personal care equipment, even though they performed these tasks.”
