Connie's ambulance nightmare

Leigh MP Lawrence Cunliffe has promised to look in to Constance Ball's five-hour nightmare.

Mrs Ball, of Norley Road, Leigh wrote to The Journal about her ordeal after complaining to the NHS Trust when an ambulance collected her almost two hours after it was due to take her to a Christie Clinic appointment at Leigh Infirmary.

"I was ready to go at 9.30am and should have seen the consultant at 10.20am. I eventually saw him at 12 noon after the ambulance arrived to collect me at 11.20am," said an appalled Mrs Ball.

She attends the clinic at Leigh following a major operation to remove a malignant growth.

After her appointment, with her leg swollen due to a thrombosis, she was in a lot of discomfort during another 1U hour wait in the hospital entrance. To ease her pain hospital staff provided her with a walking frame, foot stool and pillows.

She eventually arrived home at 2.35pm.

"Being old and in ill health this catalogue of mismanagement exhausted me," said Mrs Ball.

"This is not a one-off, it has happened to me before. In fact it happens all the time to most people needing to use the ambulance service.

"I wish to make it quite clear this is not a criticism in any way of the drivers who are always helpful and proficient. It is a criticism against the administration which makes no attempt to assist patients to keep their appointments.

"This makes life a nightmare for patients and clinic staff.

"There is obviously a lack of ambulances and drivers. The whole system is absolutely disgusting. It is a hangover from Tory mis-rule. It is time the situation was remedied."

Mrs Ball has received assurances from the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service that a full investigation will be carried out.

And Mr Cunliffe wrote to tell her he was concerned about her experiences and had taken-up the matter with the NHS and GMAS and was calling for an immediate investigation.

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