Inquiry After Woman Dies in Hour-Long Wait for Ambulance

A YOUNG woman living about a mile from her local hospital died before she could be treated following an hour’s delay in getting an ambulance, an MP said yesterday.

The woman, who was aged in her 30s and suffered from learning difficulties, had been a resident of a care home near Harrogate District Hospital when she was taken ill.

But there was no ambulance available to respond to an emergency call by paramedics because all the vehicles were tied up miles away in York and Scunthorpe, according to Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Phil Willis.

He said: “The ambulance did not arrive for another hour and the patient was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital.

“The two ambulances on duty in Harrogate were in York and Scunthorpe, respectively.

“This is an appalling state of affairs. For both Harrogate ambulances to be miles away from the town is unacceptable. We will never know if that lost hour would have saved my constituent but how can we have confidence in a system that allows for no ambulance cover in Harrogate? I have every sympathy with the ambulance drivers who do a sterling job.

“But they cannot be in two places at once. I am determined that the ambulance service must no longer be the Cinderella service of the NHS.

“People working in the ambulance service have told me that morale is at rock bottom.

“It needs greater resources and better management which will in turn lead to higher morale amongst those employed in the service,” said the MP.

When quizzed about the tragedy – which took place last

week – Health Secretary Alan Johnson told the Commons he would investigate. “I very much hope and trust that that is an exception to the normal rule, and I will look into the circumstances of that case,” he said.

He went on to say ambulance services and paramedics are a crucial part of the report led by Lord Darzi involving all ten Strategic Health Authorities.

He added: “Paramedics and ambulance staff are even more important now, particularly as regards stroke care.

“Care for a stroke patient should start at the moment when the ambulance arrives, not when the patient gets to hospital.”

Mr Willis added: “I am delighted that the Secretary of State for Health has made a commitment to investigate the circumstances leading to my constituent’s death.

“I am also pleased about his reassurances that ambulance services and paramedics are a crucial part of the Darzi report.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has said it was looking into the claims. There was no reply from its Press office last night.

The identity of the woman involved and the name of the home have not been disclosed because of a request by her family.

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