Patients urged to ring 111 for non-emergencies to ease pressure on ambulance service

West Midlands Ambulance Service chiefs have warned patients were being put at "significant risk" of harm due to ambulance handover delays.

It comes after the risk rating for the issue hit its highest possible rating as fears mounted the situation is going to get worse amid winter.

Now hospital bosses in the Staffordshire and Black Country have called on people to seek alternative NHS services for non-emergencies.

Paul Bytheway, chief operating officer at the University Hospitals of North Midlands which runs Stafford's County Hospital, said: "We would never want our patients to wait unnecessarily and we work closely with our ambulance service colleagues and have introduced new processes to improve the safety and experience of patients waiting in ambulances to be admitted.

“We are working with our NHS and local authority partners to put in place measures to ensure that people who need hospital and emergency care can get treatment quickly and those who are ready to return home, can with the correct care provided.

"While that work will continue over the coming weeks as we head into our busy winter period, the public can help NHS staff and reduce waiting times in A&E by using NHS 111 as a first port of call for non-emergencies.

“By seeking treatment and advice elsewhere when it’s not a life-threatening illness or injury, patients could spend less time waiting for appropriate treatment and advice and can help reduce waiting times for patients needing the most urgent care.”

Meanwhile Diane Wake, Black Country and West Birmingham lead for acute provider collaboration who was speaking on behalf of hospitals in the region, said patient safety was their "top priority".

She said: "Our system has seen a significant increase in demand and is still responding to the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, we recognise the challenges that ambulance handover delays present to the wider system.

"Therefore, in addition to the steps already being taken to avoid handover delays in our hospitals, all local NHS trusts will be agreeing rapid actions to address this issue during the course of the next week.

"At this busy time, we would encourage patients to think about which NHS service is the right one for them. If you are not sure of the best place to go, you can visit NHS 111 online for advice. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 999 and ask for an ambulance."

West Midlands Ambulance Service chiefs issued the stark warning over ambulance handover delays at a meeting on Wednesday.

Mark Docherty, director of nursing and clinical commissioning, said at the meeting: "We know that patients are coming to harm as a result of delays.

“We know that there are patients that are having significant harm and indeed we know that sadly some patients are dying before we get to them.”