A PATIENT was caught behind an ambulance for practically TWO DAYS ready for a hospital mattress.
The stunning revelation comes because the NHS battles the worst disaster in its historical past – clobbered by strikes, backlogs and workers shortages.
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Within the worst case, recorded by The South Western Ambulance Service, a affected person was left ready for 40 hours and 48 minutes.
One other individual within the East of England was caught in an ambulance for 36 hours earlier than being admitted to hospital.
In complete this winter, 153,000 sufferers waited for greater than an hour within the backs of ambulances outdoors hospitals.
These delays are dangerous for sufferers and stop ambulances responding to extra 999 calls – fuelling the disaster.
Each belief in England aside from three stated sufferers have been caught in ambulances for document occasions final 12 months.
Labour’s shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting, whose group uncovered the stats by way of the Freedom of Data Act, stated the NHS is “in a determined disaster”.
He fumed: “Sufferers spending two days behind an ambulance simply to get by the entrance door of the hospital proves it’s not working.”
Mr Streeting referred to as for extra medical coaching locations to provide further docs and nurses to beef up the NHS’ frontline.
An NHS spokesperson stated hospitals are encountering “document pressures on emergency care”.
They added: “NHS workers have labored exceptionally onerous to proceed to offer sufferers with care throughout a sustained interval of strain”
A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Basis Belief (SWASFT) stated: “Our ambulance clinicians try daily to offer their finest to sufferers, however our efficiency has not returned to pre-pandemic ranges, partly on account of handover delays at emergency departments.”
A Division of Well being spokesman stated: “Nobody ought to have to attend longer than essential to entry pressing and emergency care and ready occasions have considerably lowered from the height of winter pressures in December.”
They stated more cash is being pumped into the NHS to ease pressures.
After months of crippling NHS strikes, progress has lastly been made in settling the disputes.
Unions representing nurses and ambulance crews have agreed a brand new pay deal – though it must be voted on by union members.
Junior docs are in formal talks with the federal government for their very own deal.
