Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, Graham Stuart has spoken out over the problem of ambulance crews being delayed handing patients over to health care professionals at Accident and Emergency Units.
Speaking about the problem, Graham said, “One constituent has written to me to say she recently witnessed 8 ambulances, that’s 16 crew members, waiting for up to two hours to hand patients over to staff at Hull Royal Infirmary.
“With eight ambulances and 16 crew marooned at the hospital, there would be few, if any, ambulances available to respond in Beverley and Holderness and the rest of East Yorkshire.
“I’ve written to Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust to find out why the crews are being held up for so long as ambulance crew cannot leave patients unattended until they have been formally handed over to the care of hospital staff. I’m determined to get to the bottom of this problem so that crews can get back out on the road to attend emergency situations and get on with their job.”
Jayne Moxon from Welwick said, “Earlier this month I visited the A&E Department at Hull Royal Infirmary with my father. While I was there I was shocked by what I saw. There were 8 stretchers of patients lined up waiting for assessment. Each of the two-man crews were waiting for over two hours to hand patients over.
“I spoke to several of the ambulance crew and asked ‘what happens now if anyone needs an ambulance?’ and was told ‘there is no available ambulance at present in Hull’. The scenario continued throughout the night, one crew were in three times with each visit being as long as the last.
“When the crews checked their computer later that evening the average waiting time had been 71 minutes although in reality most visits were for much longer. I don’t have any complaint about the staff – how they continue to work in such conditions I have no idea, it must be very frustrating for them.
“Something must be put in place to free the crews up to get back out on the road and I’m pleased that Graham has taken this problem up with the Hospitals Trust and I look forward to hearing a response to that enquiry, hopefully offering a solution to the problem.”
