Battle pensioner left waiting more than seven hours for ambulance after fall

A pensioner was left lying on the floor in pain for more than seven hours before paramedics arrived.
Margaret Shirley and her sons Malcolm and Edward on her 92nd birthday in 2018 SUS-200209-101806001Margaret Shirley and her sons Malcolm and Edward on her 92nd birthday in 2018 SUS-200209-101806001
Margaret Shirley and her sons Malcolm and Edward on her 92nd birthday in 2018 SUS-200209-101806001

Margaret Shirley, 93, fell at Edendale Lodge Care Home in Crowhurst, where she lived at the time.

Staff at the home called for an ambulance but her son, Malcolm, from Battle, said it took seven-and-a-half hours to arrive.

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He said: “My mother fell on the Saturday evening on August 15 at around 5.30pm but the ambulance didn’t turn up until after 12.30am the next day.

“She had to wait all this time even though when the home called for an ambulance they were told it would be up to two hours.

“She was on the floor for seven-and-a-half hours with potential internal bleeding and in distress. The ambulance service’s excuse was that they were busy.”

Mr Shirley said he and his brother Edward have since lodged a complaint to South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb).

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His mother, who is living with dementia, walks with a Zimmer frame with assistance.

Mr Shirley added his mother has so far made a good recovery in hospital following her ordeal. She has now returned to her home in Battle and not the care home where Edward is caring for her.

A South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) spokesman said: “We take all concerns raised seriously and we are very sorry it took longer than it should for us to attend this call.

“We appreciate Mr Shirley’s mother would have been in a great deal of pain and discomfort.

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“There have been times recently when high demand on our service has meant patients not in an immediately life-threatening condition may wait longer than they should.

“We have been contacted by the family and we are looking into their concerns in detail before reporting back to them directly.”

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