Patients left waiting in ambulances outside Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

Mar 10 2010 by Hywel Trewyn, Denbigh Visitor

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

PATIENTS were left waiting in ambulances outside an A&E department amid a sudden rush.

Medics worked to clear the backlog at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd on Friday after ten patients were brought in during the space of two hours.

One patient in a non-emergency ambulance waited over an hour while more serious cases were seen. Queues of ambulances were photographed outside the hospital entrance before midday and again at 12.25pm. Health worker Bridget Stokes, 51, who’d accompanied a patient from the Hafan Deg day care centre, Rhyl, was “disgusted.”

Bridget, a Unison union representative, said: “I brought an elderly gentleman to the hospital. I was absolutely horrified to find seven ambulances waiting to come in to A&E. I got here at 11.25am and the gentleman had to stay in the ambulance for over an hour. This shouldn’t be happening.”

Unison steward Karen Evans said: “There were seven ambulances lined up outside A&E. It’s unbelievable.”

But a spokesperson for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said at no time was any patient’s safety compromised.

The trust could not answer questions about whether there was a staffing shortage. She said: “We did have a very busy period at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd with ambulances arriving in quick succession.

“As ambulance control were able to keep us advised what cases were coming in, staff took the opportunity to manage the order patients were brought in so the most urgent cases could be seen without delay. This did mean patients with less serious conditions had to wait a little longer than we would wish for treatment.”

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The ambulance trust transferred a number of emergency patients to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd within a short period. To speed up treatment for those patients most in need, the service worked with the hospital to advise in advance of the medical condition of the patients.

“Not all the ambulances outside the A&E department were waiting to transfer patients. Some were waiting to be deployed and some crews were on a routine break.

“At all times the ambulance service and hospital worked together to maintain patient safety.”

MP Chris Ruane said: “I will contact the Trust to ask if there is a capacity issue at the hospital. I would like to know if it is a one off or if a pattern is emerging..”