Patient Dies After Long Wait Outside A&E Leicester Royal Infirmary

Reports have revealed that a patient has died after being made to wait for more than two hours at the back of an ambulance outside the A&E department of the Leicester Royal Infirmary.

The sad event which occurred in April came after the East Midlands Ambulance Service had expressed concerns about handover delays.

The person had been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary but suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting to be handed over to clinical staff.

The death emerged after a Freedom of Information request by Liberal Democrat health campaigner Zuffar Haq.

At emergency departments, the target handover time is 15 minutes and the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) had made complaints over the amount of time being lost due to handover delays.

The East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) had in its report said that the equivalent of 16,500 ambulance crew hours were lost across the six counties of the East Midlands in April due to delays.

It has also been revealed that in Leicester, more than 1,500 patients were kept waiting in ambulances for more than four hours before being received by the emergency department between January and May, 2022.

The EMAS said that these delays meant that it wasn’t able to respond to 999 calls to its maximum capacity, potentially putting lives at risk.

Richard Mitchell, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the patient at this difficult time.

“Patients in hospital and on ambulances are regularly assessed to ensure any deterioration is captured as quickly as possible so the right medical interventions can be put in place.

“If an unexpected death occurs, this is reviewed for assurances around safety and processes. These processes help to keep patients safe.”

Health watchdog, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), has warned about the serious harm these delays in unloading ambulances were causing patients across the country.

The government has said it would carefully consider the HSIB’s report and “respond in due course”.

There are certain negligent actions which could put the lives of patients in danger and can lead to making accident and emergency claims. These include;

• Delays in handing over patients to the emergency department
• Responding slowly to an emergency
• Delays in reaching the patient after an emergency call had been placed
• Delays in providing the required first aid to the patient during transport either due to poorly equipped ambulance service or unqualified staff
• Errors while carrying out treatment
• Failure to recognise an emergency situation and provide urgent help

When some of these negligent actions or other similar ones occur, they can cause serious harm to the patient. Should a patient suffer avoidable pain or suffering as a result of poor care from the ambulance service or emergency department, then a claim for medical negligence can be made.

Our NHS claims solicitors are highly experienced in hospital compensation claims and will assist you take appropriate legal actions to see that justice is serve and that you are adequately compensated for your suffering.

Call our helplines 0800 644 4240 today to speak with one of our expert lawyers. We encourage you not to hesitate especially as you have a limited time to make your claims.