Monmouth MP David Davies has condemned the care of a 75 year-old woman from Govilon after she was forced to wait over 16 hours for an ambulance.
An out-of-hours doctor arranged an ambulance after the elderly lady, a stroke survivor who has also suffered two brain tumours in recent years, was found at home by her carer on Saturday afternoon. She was unable to move or stand.
After waiting more than 16 hours, the ambulance arrived the following morning and she was eventually admitted to Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.
The carer made multiple calls to the Welsh Ambulance Service and was initially advised of a three hour waiting time but alerted the woman’s family when paramedics failed to appear.
Her daughter Debbie Gordon, who lives three hours away, contacted local MP David Davies on Sunday morning as the ambulance was still yet to arrive.
She explained that her mother needed an assessment as soon as possible and it was an “issue of personal dignity and hygiene” as she was unable to move from her chair to access a toilet or change clothes.
Mr Davies described the delay as “disgraceful” and said it was “completely unacceptable” that an elderly woman had to wait so long for an emergency service to arrive.
“I spoke to Richard Lee, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s director of operations, as soon as I became aware of the situation on Sunday morning and I am pleased he was able to resolve this issue,” he said.
‘However, I am concerned by the suggestion that these delays are being caused by a slow transfer of patients and a build-up of ambulance crews outside emergency departments at Nevill Hall and the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.
‘It is not acceptable that ambulances are unable to turn around quickly enough at local hospitals and this needs to be sorted as a matter of urgency before a similar incident occurs.
‘I am in the process of contacting Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the Welsh Government to demand a full investigation.”