"Appalling ambulance delay"

I sustained a fall late afternoon on 15 September 2019 near the entrance of Clacton Pier. I hit my head on a bench seat behind me and was bleeding quite profusely. My son rang for an ambulance and was told the wait would be 4-5 HOURS! I am 82 years old. I was assisted into a wheelchair that the first-aiders provided and my son had to wheel me to Clacton Hospital, over very bumpy terrain. I was in agony

The staff at the hospital eventually suspected that I may have an injury to my neck, called an ambulance which took nearly an hour to arrive.

At Colchester Hospital after various tests, it was established that I had a fracture to C6 in my neck - it is a wonder that I am still able to walk and talk

The crew who took me to Colchester have to be the most unfriendly pair of ambulance men I have ever encountered. The one who sat in the back with me hardly spoke to me. I was not secured properly as everytime the ambulance went round bends in the road, so did I on the couch! I slid backwards, forwards and sideways. Never once was this man at all reassuring and I really was very apprehensive and scared. l started shaking, which was probably due to shock, so he just put a blanket over me, saying nothing to reassure me.

I have worked within the NHS for many years and have been a patient many times, but this is the first time I have had to make a complaint and it saddens me.

An 82 year old woman, lying on the ground with a visible head injury and possible other injuries, is expected to lie there for 4-5 hours - absolutely disgraceful and unacceptable.