South West patients facing some of worst A&E waits in ambulances in England

More than half of patients taken to three of the South West's major hospitals in an ambulance last week faced delays of more than an hour.

Pressure on the region's NHS services also saw more than 70% of patients arriving at the worst-affected hospitals wait for more than 30 minutes.

New figures show ambulance handover delays in England have hit their highest level since the start of winter - with more than a quarter of patients facing at least 30-minute waits to be handed over to A&E departments.

Three of the four worst-hit trusts are in the South West.

While Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust reported the highest proportion of handovers delayed by at least 30 minutes last week (74%), they were followed by Gloucestershire Hospitals (71%), University Hospitals Plymouth (71%) and University Hospitals Bristol & Weston (68%).

For hour-long delays, University Hospitals Plymouth topped the list (58%), followed by Northern Lincolnshire and Goole (57%), Gloucestershire Hospitals (54%) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (52%).

A handover delay does not always mean a patient has waited in the ambulance. They may have been moved into an A&E department but staff were not available to complete the handover.

The figures are another sign of the pressures hospitals are facing amid the latest rise in coronavirus infections.

In response, South Western Ambulance Service told ITV News: “We are working closely with NHS partners to address the delays in handing over patients at hospitals, so our crews can get back out on the road for other patients.”

In a second joint statement, the ambulance service, Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and the trust which runs Gloucestershire's hospitals said there has been an increase in the number of sick patients who need their help.

They told ITV News high demand, patients with complex needs, reduced bed availability due to Covid and staff absences all mean their teams are under "significant pressure".

But, they said, the healthcare system is "working more closely than ever before" to respond.

"It is important to stress that all patients arriving by ambulance and waiting to come into A&E are assessed to ensure they are given the correct level of priority," they added.

The medical director for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust apologised to patients who have experienced a longer wait outside its emergency departments.

He said his trust is also under "sustained pressure" due to Covid patients, infection control and staffing challenges but said "patient safety is always our first priority".

“We always aim to see and treat patients as quickly as possible, and all patients arriving at our emergency departments are triaged and assessed with the most clinically urgent being prioritised," he added.

He said being unable to discharge medically fit patients is also presenting a challenge, adding: "We are working together with local health and care partners to ensure that people who need hospital care can be admitted and then discharged from hospital safely as soon as they are medically well enough to leave.

"Family and friends of patients can also help by being ready to collect their loved one from hospital when we call, and supporting them when they get home."

The NHS is also urging people to use the right NHS service.

How to access the right NHS care

The 111.nhs.uk website can signpost people to the right care for them, including pharmacies and minor injury and illness units.

The 111 phone service can provide advice and book people into local NHS services if needed.