Patients wait 'up to 1 - hr' to enter hospital (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Patients wait 'up to 1 - hr' to enter hospital

11:09am Tuesday 7th October 2008 in Save Our NHS By Ellie Hargreaves

A PARAMEDIC has described chaotic hospital scenes in Lancaster and health bosses have admitted missing basic targets, following ward closures at Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) Unison representative and Ambleside-based paramedic Mike Oliver said ambulances were waiting up to an hour to drop off South Lakeland patients at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI).

Meanwhile, a meeting of hospital bosses on Wednesday heard that the increase in cases being sent to the RLI as a result of closing WGH to emergencies, had contributed to targets being missed in August.

Now campaigners are calling for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust (UHMBT) – which runs the hospitals - to reinstate services at WGH, to ease pressure on frustrated staff.

“I don’t think the RLI or the trust was geared up for the extra influx of ambulances, which would have normally gone to WGH,” said Mr Oliver.

“Paramedics are finding that because of the acute services review, the system isn’t coping and even though they brought in more resources we are having to queue for anything from 20 minutes to more than an hour.

“It is not only hard for the patient but ambulances are then delayed getting back to South Lakeland where they may be needed on another 999 call. Sometimes staff have no time for statutory meal breaks because they are constantly [going] backwards and forwards.

“Some patients are even saying they would rather stop at home than travel to Lancaster or Barrow for treatment, which puts us in a difficult position.”

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said: “We can’t remain in a position where the lives of my constituents are being put at risk because of failing local health services. Health bosses need to admit that they got it wrong, and reopen WGH to medical emergencies.”

A joint statement by UHMBT and North West Ambulance Service area director Derek Cartwright, said the situation was being closely monitored and that there had been a “small increase” in the length of time it took ambulances to hand over patients at RLI, from an average of 22 minutes to 24 minutes.

It apologised for the increase and stressed that emergency cases were prioritised and seen at the earliest opportunity, and that “patient safety was paramount”.

A new ward has been made available to accommodate medical patients.