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Lincolnshire A&E patients 'stuck on trolleys and in ambulances'

BBC Ambulances queuingBBC
The report said some patients were waiting over an hour-and-a-half in the back of an ambulance before being handed over

Patients are waiting for "long periods" on trolleys in Lincolnshire's A&E departments as staff struggle to cope with demand, a report has said.

The delays have also had a knock-on effect on handovers, with some patients being stuck in the back of an ambulance for more than an hour-and-a-half.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Boston and Lincoln hospitals A&E departments as inadequate.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust said it was "trying to sort it out".

The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection in January, where Boston Pilgrim Hospital and Lincoln County Hospital were rated as "requires improvement" overall.

Bernadette Hanney, CQC head of Hospital Inspection, said: "Some patients were on trolleys for long periods of time, and that sort of thing we should be able to prevent."

"Due to the delays, we had concerns about patients getting things like pressure ulcers," she said.

The report said patients also had "their dignity compromised" having to be treated in view of other people, and were unable to rest.

Some patients were left in the back of ambulances for long periods, which prevented crews from "getting back out and responding to calls", Ms Hanney said.

There were also issues with staffing, and concerns children were having to share waiting areas with patients who were aggressive, violent, or distressed.

Nurses
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust said it accepted the findings of the report and was working hard to address the issues raised

Andrew Morgan, chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, apologised to patients.

"We are trying to sort it out, but we have two emergency departments which are not fit for purpose, size-wise," he said.

On ambulance handovers, he said: "It takes so long because when the department is absolutely full we are unable to physically take the patients off."

"I've certainly heard of circumstances where there has not been a square foot of space in the department."

He said the trust had made some improvements, but more needed to be done.

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