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Emergency Department Wait

Posted By Bridie2

"Emergency Department Wait"

About: Scottish Ambulance Service / Emergency Ambulance University Hospital Wishaw / Emergency Department

(as a service user),

My mother was taken by ambulance after a fall and suspected fractured femur recently.

The experience was terrible, having to wait in an ambulance for over 10 hours before being placed in a room . 

I had went to a different hospital by mistake and was surprised to find it extremely quiet with nearly no patients in the waiting area . 

I was informed that my mother had been taken to Wishaw as potentially fractured femur but not confirmed, and it was indeed not a fracture . 

On arrival at Wishaw I couldn’t believe the war zone that I was faced with and I was informed my mother was being held in an ambulance outside as no room. There was around another 10 ambulances waiting . 

I asked why couldn’t she be sent to our local hospital which was very quiet as I had come from there . I was told this was policy . 

Surly if this is policy it requires review . I think my mother should have went to the other hospital and if confirmed as fractured femur then went to Wishaw. 

She was not a fracture and was discharged after 28 hours in ED at Wishaw. 

I feel this system is broken, how can you have 1 hospital like a war zone and another sitting empty . 

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Responses

Response from Jennifer Montgomery, Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate, NHS Lanarkshire 6 days ago
Jennifer Montgomery
Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate,
NHS Lanarkshire

Operational Lead for Care Opinion in NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 02/05/2025 at 13:27
Published on Care Opinion at 13:27

picture of Jennifer Montgomery

Dear Birdie2,

Thank you for sharing your mother’s experience at University Hospital Wishaw, Emergency Department.

I am sorry to hear that she had a fall and had to attend hospital. I am also sorry to hear of the lengthy wait she had to been seen and treated. Our services are under immense pressures and staff are trying to work through all patients are quickly as possible but it is disappointing to hear that your mother was help in the ambulance for 10 hours before being placed in a room for treatment.

I would appreciate if you could contact our patient affairs team so they can investigate this further and provide you with a personal response. I have included their contact details below.

patientaffairs@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

I hope your mother is recovering well.

Best Wishes,

Jenni

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Response from Mark Hannan, Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 2 days ago
Mark Hannan
Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 06/05/2025 at 12:36
Published on Care Opinion at 12:36

Hi Bridie2,

I'm really sorry to hear about your recent experience regarding your mother. That must have been really distressing for both your mother and yourself and I'm very sorry to read this.

I see my colleagues from NHS Lanarkshire have responded to some of the concerns you raise and it is good to see that they have offered to investigate this further and take it forward as a formal complaint should you wish them to do so.

If there was any aspect of your mothers' care related to the Scottish Ambulance Service which were of concern, we'd also be happy to look into this for you.

To do so, we'd need a few more details (name of patient, date and time of call out, address attended and a brief summary of the complaint) sent to sas.feedback@nhs.scot.

I hope your mother is doing ok and once again, apologies that her experience was so poor.

Take care,

Mark

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