Patients being taken to A&E departments by ambulance are facing long delays, figures obtained by the BBC show.
Paramedics can only transfer a patient to hospital when A&E staff are ready. Under current guidelines, this should happen within 15 minutes of the ambulance’s arrival.
Figures show hospitals are breaching this 15 minute recommendation, with the number of patients having to wait longer than 30 minutes currently running at around 4,500 per week.
Delays of over 30 minutes can result in fines for hospitals in England.
For some the delays are significant, with one ambulance in Wales having to queue for six hours and 22 minutes. In England, the longest wait was five hours and 51 minutes.
“A cause for concern”
Dr Clifford Mann, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, described the news as “alarming”.
He said: “There’s always going to be a small number of patients whose transfer is delayed, but not to the extent of these figures – which are approaching three, four – sometimes six hours.
“And remember, these figures relate to the three months up till October. They don’t include the really pressured time of the winter and so it’s unlikely these figure are going to improve – and that must be a cause for concern.”
Delays in medical care
If you or your loved one has been harmed because of unacceptable delays in receiving medical care, get in touch with us today to discuss your options. If there is a case of medical negligence, you will be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation.
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