Thread by @pimlicat

🧵 about ambulance waiting times.

On Sunday morning at around 5.30am, I was awoken by a commotion outside. A woman (let's call her Sharon) had collapsed on the paving and was gasping for air. Some other neighbours were already trying to assist her.

It took 13 minutes on a call with 999 to find out that an ambulance would be 'at least an hour' and that no other emergency service could come either.

Sharon's breathing was deteriorating, she was losing consciousness.

I got my car keys.

Three people carried her in to my car. A woman had Sharon's head in her lap, a man had her feet in his. Another man sat next to me in the front.

I drove, very fast, towards St Thomas' A&E.

Over Lambeth Bridge, Sharon appeared to stop breathing.

The woman started shouting to Sharon to stay with us and keep breathing. It worked, though the breathing started again with what sounded like a lot of fluid in her throat/lungs. It was clear she was getting nowhere near enough oxygen.

We made it to the hospital in about 6 mins

It took all three to carry her in to A&E. This was about 6am and I couldn't wait because I was having to get to Liverpool for #Lab22, leaving home by 7am and I was still in my slippers.

I didn't know any of these neighbours, they live opposite not beside me, and so I had no phone number to find out if Sharon survived. I'll find out and update you now I'm back from Liverpool.

At Liverpool, we were showcasing @BestForBritain 's new campaign #SandraCantWait to make the emotional connection between our unfair voting system and real life stories.

I knew before how bad ambulance waiting times had got, but now I felt it acutely

bestforbritain.org/sandra_cant_wa…

Sandra is based on a true story. Sharon's story is true too. Many of you have shared similar accounts me with.

A journalist in Liverpool told me another tale. They got out of a taxi and police swooped up, asking the taxi driver to come quickly and take someone who had collapsed to Liverpool A&E because the ambulance was going to be 'many hours'.

From the south to north, east to west, this Government is failing the whole of Britain.

Labour could win a majority at the next election, but without changing the voting system, we will lurch back towards the same failing ideology that hurts us all.

The Cons would blame a Labour Gvt for all their own sins - climate, nhs, economic emergencies, and once again we'd see a change after a few years to a Con Gvt that cuts public services, reduces our rights, strips away protections.

So Labour MUST change the system. Because #SandraCantWait

Please Take Action Now: bestforbritain.org/cw_labour_peti…