Blackburn A&E patients left to lie on stretchers

Health chiefs admitted patients had to queue on ambulance stretchers on Monday night as A&E departments and urgent care centres were inundated with cases.

Critics slammed the situation at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said it had launched an investigation into “exceptionally high” numbers of patients, many of whom were arriving by ambulance.

But it denied that wards had become so full that doctors had been forced to treat patients inside ambulances.

One woman said she “could not believe her eyes” when she took her mother to the A&E department at Royal Blackburn Hospital after she had suffered a suspected heart attack.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said the 67-year-old waited five hours for treatment.

She said: “It was horrendous, absolute chaos.

“What I witnessed was heartbreaking, elderly people queuing on ambulance stretchers waiting to be seen as there was nowhere else available and ambulance bays full to capacity.

“The ambulance staff can’t leave the stretchers so they have to stay before they can go on another job.

“I was talking to a nurse who said the last six days have been terrible and she had worked a 12-hour shift without a break.”

Russ McLean, chairman of the ELMS Patient Voice Group which represents patients across East Lancashire, said he understood there had only been 10 beds free on Monday night.

Mr McLean said: “I’m appalled to think that patients have to be treated in such circumstances.

“I was horrified to hear that there was a limited number of beds available because that’s not good from a patient’s point of view and anybody working in the health service. It’s putting a great deal of strain on our marvellous doctors and nurses too.

“There is no other trust in Lancashire suffering with these problems, so it’s my firm belief that it’s down to bad management of resources.”

Tim Ellis, UNISON’s regional health officer for East Lancashire, said reducing staff had limited capacity and caused “chaos”.

He said: “Our health workers at the Royal Blackburn Hospital are reporting increasing difficulties and chaos as the Government NHS cuts bite.

“Queues for services are increasing and at times of winter stress in A&E in particular there is a real risk that the cuts will not just mean delays in treatment but the risk of injuries or even unnecessary deaths.

“The Government should stop its harebrained reorganisation of the NHS with all its wastes and costs; stop its cuts and put more money and resources into frontline health care.”

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) said Monday had been an “extremely busy” day. It had responded to 772 emergency calls in Lancashire and Cumbria, including 277 classed as “immediately life threatening”.

It has seen a 15 per cent rise in the number of 999 calls in four weeks.

But when asked about patients being treated in the back of ambulances and waiting on ambulance stretchers, it said it did not wish to comment ‘on East Lancashire Hospitals’ position.’

An NWAS spokesman said: “At extremely busy times like this, we endeavour to work with hospitals to ensure patient handovers are as quick as possible.

“The number of 999 calls to the service still remains high, so we would like to remind people that 999 services are for life-threatening and emergency conditions only.”

If your condition is not serious or you have an urgent need but are unsure which service to use you can call the new free 111 NHS telephone number.

Dr Charles Thomson, consultant in emergency medicine for East Lancashire Hospitals, said: “Services are coping but the high numbers are proving a real challenge.

“Emergency services are for emergencies and if you need urgent medical attention rather than a 999 call you should dial the new 111 number to seek that advice.”

Clare Clark, the trust’s matron in emergency medicine, said the trust was seeing a high number of “elderly, poorly patients” but there was no particular pattern to the admissions.

She said: “It is especially important for elderly people and their relatives to think about stocking up their cupboards, making sure they have their prescriptions and keeping as warm as possible.

“It is also a time for us to be good neighbours and check whether our elderly or more vulnerable neighbours need any help or support.”

Neil Upson, the trust's divisional general manager for medicine, added: "While we have seen a significant increase in attendances we are coping thanks to the fantastic efforts of our staff, although some delays have been unavoidable."