SUSTAINED pressure on health services saw more than a dozen ambulances queuing outside Poole Hospital’s A&E department on Tuesday afternoon, with some patients being looked after in an ambulance on the pavement outside.

Thirteen ambulances were spotted waiting outside A&E at around 4pm on Tuesday, September 20 – something that paramedics say is not unusual. 

Paramedics were seen caring for patients who were unable to be checked in to A&E in the back of the ambulances. 

Five ambulances had to wait on the pavement outside the hospital as there was not enough room for all of them in the drop-off zone.

Bournemouth Echo: Patients are having to wait in ambulances on the pavement outside the hospitalPatients are having to wait in ambulances on the pavement outside the hospital (Image: NQ)

One paramedic said: “It’s a sign of the times.” Another added: “This sadly isn't unusual anymore. It’s difficult to tell how long we could be waiting – how long is a piece of string?” 

Read more: NHS pressures: How is the Dorset University Hospitals Trust performing?

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Dorset is reminding patients to contact 111 first to ensure the emergency departments are the best place for care. 

Another paramedic was unsure what is to blame for the backlog of ambulances. He said: “You can look at it from two ways: on the one hand, is everybody who calls for an ambulance in need of one.  

“But also, are we getting enough funding for the services?” 

Read more: Why emergency patients are being told to go to new unit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Bournemouth Echo: Paramedics say this is not unusual anymoreParamedics say this is not unusual anymore (Image: NQ)

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Dorset said: “Our emergency departments at UHD remain under pressure with a high number of patients attending.  

“We always prioritise our patients to ensure the most in need are seen soonest and this can cause delays for some patients for which we apologise.  

“Where appropriate, we do ask patients to contact 111 first to ensure that our emergency departments are the best place for their care or if there is a better place for them to be treated.  

Bournemouth Echo: Poole HospitalPoole Hospital (Image: Daily Echo)

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners across Dorset NHS to also ensure that when patients are medically ready to be cared for in the community they are able to leave with a suitable ongoing package of care to help free up space for new patients coming in. This will help ease the pressure across our emergency departments.” 

Nationally, the average response time for major emergencies requiring an ambulance has more than doubled in the last three years, sitting at 51 minutes and 38 seconds in June, NHS England figures show.

Bournemouth Echo: Ambulances parked outside Poole HospitalAmbulances parked outside Poole Hospital (Image: NQ)

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “The whole health and social care system has been under sustained pressure for many months now, this means that some patients are having to wait longer for an ambulance than they would expect

“Our performance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, partly due to handover delays at emergency departments. 

“We are working with our partners in the NHS and across social care to ensure our ambulance clinicians can get back out on the road as quickly as possible, to respond to other 999 calls and improve the service that patients receive.”

Yesterday, Health Secretary Therese Coffey pledged her commitment to the four-hour A&E target for people to be admitted, transferred or discharged as major plans were laid out before Parliament to improve access to NHS care.

The target has not been met since 2015.