Rushden 999 rescuer given 14-hour wait time for ambulance as 80-year-old lay on icy pavement

Rescuers coming to the aid of an 80-year-old man lying injured after slipping on an icy pavement say they were told there would be a 14-hour wait after their 999 call.

Rushden dad-of-one James Crowder was walking near Robinson Road on Tuesday (December 13) evening when he heard someone fall over nearby.

He discovered a pensioner covered in cuts and blood, lying on the pavement and unable to move, so he called 999 for help.

After being told there would be a 14-hour wait, Mr Crowder decided to drive the stricken man to A&E.

He said: “I was on my way to pick up my son at about 4.45pm when I heard someone fall over. I couldn’t see him because it was dark and he was behind a car. He must have slipped on black ice. He was covered in blood with cuts all over his hands and blood near his mouth. He was lying on his back and he said he couldn’t get up.”

Mr Crowder called 999 on his phone and after routine questions, including if Bill was breathing or if he could talk, was told there would be a 14-hour wait.

He said: “I thought they meant four hours, I had misheard, but they said 14 hours. I couldn’t leave him there on the pavement so I decided to go and get my car and take him myself.”

Nearby residents helped to keep Bill warm kindly donating blankets.

By the time Mr Crowder returned with his car, Bill had been helped to sit up and with help from other good Samaritans was helped into the car. The ambulance was cancelled as they made their way to A&E.

Bill said that he just wanted 'to be treated’ so they travelled to Northampton General Hospital (NGH). But the delays weren’t over.

Mr Crowder said: “We got stuck behind a wide load vehicle taking up both lanes the entire way. I kept him busy talking about football and found out his favourite singer is Del Shannon so got it on Spotify for him. I got to NGH just after 6pm. We managed to park fairly close and I got a wheelchair for Bill.

"But 15 people were in a queue outside, some in wheelchairs waiting outside A&E and ambulances were stacked up. I got him some blankets and left him with a volunteer.”

After an overnight stay, Bill was returned home to Rushden the following morning.

Mr Crowder said: “It’s disgusting the state of the NHS. It’s horrible.”

When contacted by this paper, East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) acknowledged that they received a call at 4.50pm to Robinson Road, Rushden. The caller reported a person had fallen and they received a call 26 minutes later, at 5.16pm, to cancel the ambulance, with the patient making their own way to hospital.

Michael Jones, divisional director for Northamptonshire at East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “We are deeply sorry that we were unable to get to the patient sooner and we recognise the distress that this will have caused to him.

“Patient care and safety is always our priority. Unfortunately, we continue to experience a sustained level of life-threatening and serious emergency calls and so we continually work to prioritise the sickest and most severely injured patients first.”

The spokesman went on to say: “Handover delays at emergency departments continue to be the main challenge but this is not just an issue for ambulances or hospitals - each part of the health and social care system is working hard to do everything possible so we can get to patients as quickly as possible.

“The patient made the decision to make their own way to hospital and therefore cancelled the ambulance.

“We would like to speak to the patient about their experience and urge them to get in touch with us at their earliest convenience.”

In October 2022 EMAS lost a total of 17,700 resource hours because crews were delayed waiting to hand patients over at hospital – the most lost in one month. This is higher than the total amount of ‘Double Crewed Ambulance’ hours available in the Northampton division. Losing the hours was equivalent to closing one division for more than a month.

A spokesman for EMAS added: “Together with the UK ambulance sector and wider NHS and social care system, East Midlands Ambulance Service continues to experience unprecedented high demand.”

During his mercy mission to NGH, Mr Crowder found that Bill is a lifelong Leicester City supporter and has organised a special Christmas get well soon card from the Foxes, signed by all the players.

He said: “He’s on his own, but it’s lucky that we were nearby. If we hadn’t found him, what would have happened? For him it’s very scary and for everyone else very frustrating. By the sound of it it’s going to get worse. For an 80-year-old who has nobody it was scary. I would write to my MP but it doesn’t seem worth contacting him. Something can be done.”

Mr Crowder is going to keep an eye on Bill now he’s home.

He added: “He’s a lifelong Leicester City fan and the team have signed a card and I’m going to pop in and say hi and take him a microwave Christmas meal because he likes those.”.