Ambulances left queuing for hours at A&Es across Birmingham
Dec 9 2009 by Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail
EMERGENCY patients were forced to wait up to three and a half hours in ambulance queues when Birmingham A&Es were hit by the busiest day of the winter so far.
Queues of at least seven ambulances were reported at Heartlands Hospital, which takes most of the city’s cases, as only a fifth of 999 patients were dealt with in the 30 minute target on Monday.
Paramedics were seen treating patients in corridors during the long waits in casualties.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said turnaround times were hit hard with longest waits at Sutton Coldfield’s Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands, in Bordesley Green, both run by Heart of England Foundation Trust - reaching 3hrs 41mins and 2hrs 43mins respectively.
Heartlands Hospital alone dealt with 20 per cent more patients than normal, ambulance bosses said.
Ambulance Service spokesman Murray MacGregor, said: “Monday was a very busy day for both ambulance crews and hospital staff.
“A number of ambulance service paramedic managers have been working at the two hospitals trying to ease the pressures.
“We would urge anyone who is considering going to A&E or dialling 999 to take a moment to stop and think whether this is the most appropriate place that they can access help from the NHS.
“Choosing well ensures that you get the treatment you need in the shortest possible time and reduces the pressure on essential services.”
Targets have been set so most ambulances should be able to drop off patients into the care of A&E medics within 30 minutes with no ambulance waiting over an hour.
Average ambulance turnaround times on Monday were 1hr 12mins at Good Hope, 57 mins at Heartlands and around half an hour at Walsall Manor, Selly Oak, Sandwell and City casualties.
Longest waits by patients however reached 1hr 15mins at Selly Oak, 1hr 2mins at Walsall, 57 mins at Sandwell A&E, in West Bromwich; and 56 mins at City Hospital’s A&E department, in Winson Green.
A total of 241 patients at all the A&Es had to wait longer than the half an hour recommended time.
Lisa Dunn, Heart of England director, said: “There was a high volume of ambulances, along with other hospitals across Birmingham, due to the emergency services having been exceptionally busy.
“We must stress that there were no patients within the ambulances as they were already inside A&E ready to be treated.”
In previous years, bedblocking and severely cold weather have been blamed for A&E queues.
* Bedblocking criticised - Page 4
