Council backs calls for more government action on Ambulance Waiting times

A series of cases of injured elderly and vulnerable residents in Hinckley and Bosworth having to wait long times for ambulances to arrive has prompted Hinckley and Bosworth Council to write to the Secretary of State for Health calling for urgent action to solve the problem.

The motion calling on the government to do more to tackle the crisis in the Ambulance Service was passed at a recent meeting of Hinckley and Bosworth Council

Proposing the motion Lib Dem Councillor Michael Mullaney said "Many elderly and poorly people in Leicestershire are having to wait unacceptably long times for ambulances to arrive.

"A friend of mines 78 year old mother in Barwell had to wait 11 hours for an ambulance to arrive after she had a fall. Tragically she died a few days later. Many other people locally report similar situations.

"Ambulance workers do an amazing job serving local people, but it's clear we need a more resourced local NHS that can cope with the high demand.

"We have called on the Tory government to take urgent action to deal with the problem, including doing more to address factors that are contributing to delays, including dealing with staff shortages throughout the health and care services which are a major cause of the problem. The new Health Secretary must deliver improvements for elderly and vulnerable people here in Leicestershire and the rest of Britain. We do not need yet more empty slogans

The motion was supported by Barlestone Lib Dem Councillor, Bill Crooks, who also set out examples of people he'd been contacted about who had to wait long hours for ambulances. Bill said "I have a friends who lives in Barlestone. His wife waited 8 hours for an ambulance following a fall in their garage, and it was then discovered she was suffering from a broken hip. This lady is 92 years old.

"Another friend from the Stapleton area had a fall in her kitchen and had to wait for 9 hours before help reached her, again she had suffered a broken hip.

"I do not blame the ambulance service or its staff, for from my observations when attending regularly at all three Leicestershire Hospitals and especially the LRI, there is always a queue of ambulances outside waiting to deliver patients. When one enters the hospital there are rows of patients on trolleys with the ambulance crews in attendance waiting for the patient to be admitted.

"The main issue is the lack of beds and staff. This government has grossly underestimated the requirements for hospital places and funding to support care homes so that hospital patients can be moved on."