Patient Story - May 2025

Meeting: Trust Board – Public Meeting

Date: 7 May 2025

Report Title: Patient Story: Bystander response to delays

Agenda Item: PUB25/05/1.4

Author: Victoria Boyce, Patient and Public Engagement Manager

Lead Director: Simon Chase, Chief Paramedic and Director of Quality

Purpose: Discussion/review

Link to Strategic Objective: Provide outstanding quality of care and performance

Link to CQC domain: Caring, Responsive, Effective and Safe

Link to strategic risk(s):

• SR1a: If we do not ensure our people are safe and their wellbeing prioritised, there is a risk that we will be unable to attract, retain and keep all our people safe and well.
• SR1b: If we do not ensure our leaders are developed and equipped, there is a risk that we will not be able to change our culture, and value, support, develop and grow our people.
• SR4: If we do not resolve long standing organisational inefficiencies, we will be unable to deliver an effective, sustainable, value for money service to our public.

Equality impact assessment: No negative impact identified.

Purpose: To share and discuss the experience of a patient who required the ambulance service when he collapsed outside in the street and was attended by first aiders from a nearby company. It highlights the impact of the public’s perception of delayed ambulance response and how this impacts bystander actions.

Recommendation: To share and discuss the experience of a patient who was conveyed to hospital by a bystander following a seizure in the street, during the delays over the previous winter period.

Executive summary:

This patient story depicts the response of bystanders on scene due to the perception that there is a lengthy delay for all ambulance responses and the impact this has on the patient and bystanders, especially over the previous winter period.

Introduction/background:

This is an interview with Rhys who is a Community First Responder and Community Engagement Group volunteer for the Trust. Rhys recently required the ambulance service when he unexpectedly collapsed and suffered a seizure outside in the street having gone for a walk at lunch time from his workplace.

Rhys was found by first aiders from a nearby company who assisted him and called for an ambulance. They also contacted colleagues from Rhy’s work who came to help. The first aider who called the service was advised that an ambulance was on the way and that it would be 40-minutes. While the call handler remained on the telephone with the first aiders, they did not specifically advise that Rhys should not be moved although the first aiders felt this should have been the case.

Rhys’s colleague’s view was that ambulances always take up to four hours to arrive now and decided this was too long to wait. Against the advice of the first aiders on scene, he decided it would be best to take Rhys to hospital himself in his car. Rhys was semi-conscious at the time and has no memory of the events. He has been advised that an ambulance arrived 10-minutes after he had been taken in his colleague’s car.

Rhys expresses concern that public perception of ambulance delays may be causing a negative impact to patients when bystanders make decisions that while well meaning, may not be in the best interests or most appropriate for the patient’s care.

Key issues/Risks:

Public perception of ambulance delays may result in bystanders to take actions on scene which may not be appropriate for the patient.

Key actions: From the engagement undertaken and feedback gained during 2024-25 it is evident that there remains work needed to increase understanding and awareness of how the ambulance service works, to manage expectations and educate the public on how they can positively impact their experience and care, and that of their family and community, whilst continuing to tackle delays.

The Patient and Public Involvement Team along with the Community Engagement Group will look specifically at ways to engage with the public on the clinical model and patient pathways, working with our volunteers to develop information and resources to encourage and help educate people on how they can positively contribute to better patient outcomes by being a ‘good bystander’.

Summary:

Patient and public perception of the ambulance service and delayed responses can have an impact on patient care.

Effective public engagement and education on the role of a bystander and EEAST clinical model and patient pathways could help improve ongoing patient care.