This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Delay in transfer after heart attack

Posted By Resourcefulchibi

"Delay in transfer after heart attack"

About: East Surrey Hospital / Accident and emergency

(as a relative),

My husband had a heart attack. St Georges' Tooting had a team on standby to receive him from 7pm onwards.

An ambulance crew arrived at 7.40, about an hour wasted finding a medic and discussing how to get equipment back to East Surrey. We arrived at 8.55.

My point is the waste of time because A & E staff did not notice the ambulance team arriving and had not asked for medics originally.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Fionnula Robinson, Director of Communications, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 11 years ago
Fionnula Robinson
Director of Communications,
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Submitted on 17/09/2012 at 16:29
Published on Care Opinion at 17:58

Dear Resourcefulchibi

Someone having a heart attack who needs primary angioplasty will be sent to their nearest specialist centre for treatment. Although we can treat heart attack patients inhours at East Surrey, national guidance is very clear that these services are best commissioned from centres offering a 24/7 service. Transfer to St George’s or to Brighton (which are the nearest specialist centres to East Surrey), means patients get the very best care possible from a team of clinicians who specialise in this treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a patient is unstable or has intravenous infusions then the ambualnce crew will require a doctor to travel with the patient. This may have caused a delay but nothing that would have jeopardised the treatment of your husband. I hope he has made a full recovery.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k