Norwich MP Demands Answers After Ambulance Queues And Emergency Tent Put Up at N&N

2 April 2013, 15:35 | Updated: 2 April 2013, 16:29

Chloe Smith wants answers after a tent was put up outside a hospital A and E department to treat patients when ambulances couldn't hand over patients.

A Norfolk MP's demanding answers after a tent was put up outside a hospital A and E department to treat patients.

An average of between six and 15 ambulances were left queuing for up to three hours yesterday (Monday, April 1).

The East of England Ambulance Service told Heart the mobile treatment centre was put up "as a result of extended delays in ambulance crews being unable to handover their patients to the A&E department.

"Between 11am and 8pm the Trust had an average of between 6 and 15 vehicles queuing for up to three plus hours. This led to those ambulances not being available to respond to other patients in the community."

Andrew Morgan, interim Chief Executive of the ambulance service, said “We decided to deploy extra resources from our special operations teams on the grounds of patient safety.  Patients have to come first in all our decision making. It is not good care for patients to be waiting for a long time to be going into any A&E department. These long waits also have an adverse impact on other patients in the community as ambulances are not available to respond to new 999 calls. This also puts an incredible amount of stress on our staff who just want to be able to hand over their patient and respond to the next 999 call.”

He continued, “I am meeting with the Chief Executive of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital tomorrow and I will also be requesting a meeting with the Clinical Commissioning Groups. We are absolutely committed to working with all our NHS partners to resolve this matter once and for all as the impact it is having on patients and staff is not acceptable.”

The hospital says the tent was a precaution and wasn't used.

Norwich North MP Chloe Smith says its not on...

Chloe Smith says answers are needed from N&N and Ambulance Service

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http://www.heart.co.uk/norfolk/news/local/emergency-tent-set-outside-norfolk-and-norwich-hos/