Thread by @Telegraph

🔴Patients are watching Netflix box sets in the back of ambulances outside hospitals due to escalating delays, Britain’s paramedic leader has said

telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/0…

Tracy Nicholls, chief executive of the College of Paramedics, told The Telegraph that ambulance staff are now often in full-time “conflict resolution” mode, as desperate patients deteriorate in car parks

The delays getting people into hospitals - in some cases more than seven hours - are exacerbating ambulance waiting times caused by staff absences due to omicron.

Reports have emerged of patients waiting in agony for more than 24 hours for an ambulance to arrive.

Ms Nicholls’ comments came in the week when it emerged that an ambulance service in the North of England was asking even heart attack victims to get a lift to hospital

Tracy Nicholls revealed that some hubs had only four out of ten vehicles operating due to the high number of paramedics off sick

“Paramedics are spending all their time apologising to everyone for their waits and distress,” she said.

“If you’ve got a tricky or awkward relationship with the patient, you could be sitting with them for several hours in the back of a metal box and tensions can build”

The Armed Forces have now been called in to drive ambulances in the North West due to the high numbers of staff ill with Covid or isolating

“It’s a terrible state of affairs... I’d hate to think people would lose trust in the ambulance service” said Ms Nicholls

Read the full interview ⬇️
telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/0…