Wilmslow GPs take a patient to hospital themselves after waiting three hours for an ambulance

Wilmslow GPs take a patient to a hospital themselves after waiting for ambulance for three hours
Wilmslow GPs take a patient to a hospital themselves after waiting for ambulance for three hours Credit: Wilmslow Health Centre

Doctors from a GP practice in Wilmslow drove a patient to the hospital themselves after waiting three hours for an ambulance.

Staff at the Wilmslow Health Centre posted the moment they escorted an elderly patient to hospital after he had collapsed at their practice on Monday 22 January.

In the video that was posted to X, formerly known as Twitter the patient is seen receiving treatment before Dr Vicki Saunders speaks to the camera and says that they have been 'waiting three hours' for an ambulance that should have arrived in '30 minutes'.

Dr Saunders says the man is 'clinically deteriorating' and that they have taken the 'really difficult decision' to get him to the hospital themselves.

In the video, doctors Fari and Amar Ahmad take the man to Macclesfield Hospital.

Stood outside the hospital, Dr Amar says that the ambulance service is not at fault and adds that they filmed the incident, with permission from the patient, to show how the NHS system is 'totally broken'.

He goes on to make an impassioned plea to politicians from 'both sides' to help.

In the video he says: "Politicians on both sides need to wake and do something about it, because people are dying. Wake up, stop obfuscating, and do something about it now."

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said, "We are sorry that we haven't been able to get to the gentleman as quickly as we would have liked.

"The NHS is experiencing a significant spike in demand, leading to delays for some patients, but our staff are trying their best to get those who need us as quickly as possible.

"We continue to work closely with our hospital partners to speed up the handover of patients and allow crews to respond to others who need help in the community.

“We are thankful for the actions of Dr Ahmed, Dr Saunders and their colleagues, and we hope that the patient makes a full and swift recovery”.

A spokeswoman for NHS England said: "Demand for NHS services, including in A&E departments and 999, have been consistently high this week and we are working closely with NHS partners across all provider services, including North West Ambulance Service and social care, to help manage these pressures and ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible."

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