Investigation after two die following A&E wait

An investigation has been launched following the deaths of two elderly patients who had been left waiting in ambulances outside the Royal Oldham Hospital because its accident and emergency unit was full.

The patients, both women in their 80s, were taken to the hospital on Monday (16 May) night. They were in the ambulances for seven and 20 minutes respectively before being taken inside.

One died the following day and the other three days later.

The deaths come just two months after the accident and emergency unit at the Rochdale Infirmary was closed.

Dr Nick Gili, A&E consultant and clinical director of unscheduled care at The Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “The A&E department at The Royal Oldham Hospital was particularly busy on Monday night (16 May 2011) and we are sorry that there was a delay in transferring patients from waiting ambulances to inside the A&E department.

“However, our A&E team were put on stand by the ambulance service to receive these patients and their ambulances were met on arrival at our hospital by both medical and nursing staff. These clinicians were then able to commence appropriate treatment in the ambulance prior to transferring the patients in question to the department. We have been in touch with the patient’s families to discuss the care provided.

“All patients are dealt with in order of their clinical priority, with the majority of our patients being seen, treated, transferred or discharged within national standards. If an A&E is put on stand-by to receive seriously ill patients then the ambulance is met by both medical and nursing staff.

“Patient safety is our top priority. We are working with North West Ambulance Service and NHS Oldham as a priority to look into how we can make sure that patients are admitted to A&E quickly on the small number of occasions when A&E departments experience very high levels of demand and if any improvements can be made to avoid delays and prevent this happening again." 

Unison officials say it is completely unacceptable to leave critically ill patients in ambulances outside A&E departments.

The Patients Council said they had reports of significant overcrowding at the hospital.

An NHS North West spokesman said: “We are working closely with Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust, North West Ambulance Service and NHS Oldham to understand the pressures that the Royal Oldham Hospital A&E was under on the night of May 16 and to see if there are any improvements to be made or actions to be taken.”