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Getting transported to and from hospitals.

Posted By clock watcher

"Getting transported to and from hospitals."

About: Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust / Patient transport service North Bristol NHS Trust

(as a relative),

I find using the ambulance transport to Frenchay hospital from Southmead or Thornbury is a timing nightmare. There are appointments booked for a specific time and you expect to arrive in time for the appointment. You usually arrive 15 minutes late. Getting back from Frenchay can result in a wait of 2 to 3 hours for the transport to arrive once it has been requested.

My mother was in Southmead and the decision was to transport her to Frenchay for an x-ray. The initial appointment was 1430 and she arrived at 1445. By the time we had seen the doctor, gone for the x-ray, seen the doctor again and requested transport it was 1630. Transport finally arrived at 1915. So my mother spent best part of 3 hours sat on an uncomfortable wheelchair waiting whilst the ambulance was engaged in other rounds.

Why she needed to go to Frenchay when there is a perfectly good x-ray department at Southmead is a different query.

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Responses

Response from Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 years ago
Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Submitted on 05/09/2012 at 10:21
Published on Care Opinion at 14:39

Thank you for your feedback to Patient Opinion. If you would like to discuss some of your concerns with an Operations Manager then we would be very pleased to hear from. Please get in touch with your details and we will arrange for someone to contact you. Thank you

Response from Steven Sykes, Advice & Complaints Team Manager, North Bristol NHS Trust 11 years ago
Steven Sykes
Advice & Complaints Team Manager,
North Bristol NHS Trust

Submitted on 07/09/2012 at 13:36
Published on Care Opinion at 14:28

Dear clockwatcher

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to advise of your mother's and your experience.

I am sorry you had to wait so long for transport, but I note that GWAS have invited you to discuss this point directly with them.

Your mother may have needed to travel to Frenchay as different types of equipment exist at the different hospitals, or the scanners were fully utilised at Southmead, and it was thought to be quicker to transfer to Frenchay.

Unfortunately without further details I cannot be certain, but please accept my apologies on behalf of North Bristol Trust that as a result you both suffered the regrettable delay and uncomfortable wait.

Staff should have kept you both informed as to the transport situation on a regular basis and I hope they were also able to assist with where to find refreshments etc while you waited.

Kind regards

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