Patient Story

Meeting:

 Public Board

Date:

 10.05.2023

Report Title:

 Patient Story

Agenda Item:

 PUB23/4/04

Author:

Victoria Boyce, Patient and Public Involvement Manager  

Lead Director:

Melissa Dowdeswell, Director of Nursing, Quality & Safety and Acting Chief Operating Officer

SR2: If we do not deliver operational and clinical standards then there is a risk of poor patient outcomes and experience

X

SR3: If we do not ensure we have the ability to plan, influence and deliver across our systems to secure change, we will not be able to meet the needs of our public and communities

X 

Equality Impact Assessment

No negative impact identified

X

Recommendation:

The recommendation is for Trust Board to consider the patient story and the challenges faced by patients who have fallen in the community. 

Previously considered by:

This patient story has been considered by the Director of Nursing, Quality and Safety, Legal Department and Patient Experience Team for assurance.

Purpose

The purpose is to share the impact that system delays are having on patients in the community and the communication that takes place with patients who may experience a long wait.

Executive Summary

This patient story is regarding the experience of an 84 year old patient (Mr S) who fell from his bicycle in a public place breaking his hip. When calling the Ambulance Service, the patient’s wife (Mrs S), was advised by the Call Handler that there could be up to a 24 hour delay in an ambulance attending, and she was advised to take her husband to hospital by car if possible.

Mrs S expresses her concern about the system pressures that led to there being no ambulance available for her husband. A complaint was raised to her MP, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and a regional news broadcaster. Her husband’s experience was then passed on to EEAST.

Mrs S was happy with the complaints process and explanation that she received in relation to what happened at that time, and the steps that the Trust are taking to support patients experiencing such delays. She took part in this Discovery Interview to raise awareness of what patients and their loved ones experience at that time. She has made suggestions in the video on service improvements around communication with callers. 

This patient story is about the experience of Mr and Mrs S. A 999 call was received when Mr S fell from his bicycle, injuring his hip outside a supermarket. Mr S was in a lot of pain and Mrs S was concerned that he had broken his hip. When she called 999, the Call Handler explained that there would be up to 24 hour delays in an ambulance attending and advised, if possible, Mrs S should take Mr S to hospital herself.

With assistance from staff at the supermarket, Mrs S got Mr S into her car and drove him to A&E. The hospital confirmed Mr S had broken his hip and he was subsequently transferred to another hospital who were able to clinically manage this trauma. Following appropriate treatment, he is now recovering well.

Mrs S was concerned that by moving her husband and taking him in her car that she would have caused him further harm. She also explained that she is able and younger than her husband, this may not be the case for others who would need to wait outside for 24 hours.

She was later advised by the staff at the supermarket that an Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) arrived to assess her husband, approximately 40 minutes after she had left for the hospital. Mrs S stated that if she had known a car was on its way she would have waited for it so her husband could have been assessed before he was moved.

Mrs S expresses her concern about the system pressures that led to there being no ambulance available for her husband. She does not see this as the fault of the Ambulance Service but feels the system is failing. She has raised her concerns with her MP, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and a regional news broadcaster. Her husband’s experience was then passed on to EEAST as a complaint and her experience featured on the local news.

Delays in the community may cause potential harm to patients and distress to their loved ones. Communication during long waits is very important to those waiting for a response.