A school boy waited two and a half hours for an ambulance after being hit by a car in Hemlington.
The 12-year-old’s mother spoke of her frustration at the delay while the police and Good Samaritans rushed to the boy’s aid while they waited for paramedics to arrive.
She said not to move her son. But they tried to make it as comfortable as possible for him on the street and to protect him from the cold and rain.
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Chiefs of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust have said they are “concerned and concerned” about the long delays some patients have faced before paramedics could reach them.
Sorry, you have now admitted that this recent delay was “unacceptable”.
The ambulance was called on Stainton Way at 4:50 p.m. shortly after the accident. However, it didn’t arrive until 7:20 p.m.
“It’s not good enough, he was on the floor for over two and a half hours,” said the boy’s mother.
“He was shaking and I didn’t know if it was the cold or if the pain was escalating.
“They said we shouldn’t move it so we just had to wait.
“The people who were there were nice and very concerned about it and made sure it was well packaged.
“A gentleman there with his dog was really angry with him. Obviously it wasn’t a summer day, it was absolutely freezing cold.
“The police were nice and they were there until the ambulance got there.”
The 12-year-old from Hemlington had stepped out onto the street waiting for a bus. His mother said he admitted he was only looking in one direction and was hit by a car while crossing the street.
“He apologized for what happened and the driver was lovely,” she said.
The boy was eventually taken to James Cook University Hospital and released later that night.
“He’s fine – he’s grazed and injured, but he has no broken bones,” his mother said.
“We took him home around midnight, so he took a hot bath, a cup of tea, and some medicine. I’m just glad it wasn’t serious. “
A Cleveland police spokeswoman said they were visiting Stainton Way after a report reported the boy had collided with a black Toyota.
“He was believed to have suffered leg, arm and possibly head injuries,” she said.
“Officials directed traffic around the scene as traffic built up, given the time of day, and an ambulance was called to take the boy to the hospital.”
As reported by Chronicle Live, the North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust is “concerned and concerned” about the long delays some patients have faced.
New data shows that more than 50,000 calls were made to NEAS in November. And while the Trust had the best record in the country for the speed of the most serious cases last month, others, including stroke and heart attack patients, wait an average of 40 minutes for an ambulance.
The heads of the trust said they would do everything in their power to make things better, as “unprecedented pressures” are causing long delays for sick patients in the area.
NEAS Medical Director Mathew Beattie said, “We received a call at 4:50 pm yesterday afternoon to report a traffic accident involving a child on Stainton Way, Hemlington, Middlesbrough. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to the scene until 7:20 p.m. to transport the patient to the James Cook Hospital
“In the time between this incident we have reached our highest escalation level with high demand in the region and a high number of delays in nearby hospitals.
“This must have been an incredibly stressful time for our patient and his family. The service we have provided here has been way below what we would like and we are very sorry for that and we wish him a speedy recovery.
“Delays like this are unacceptable and we encourage anyone with such experience to file a formal complaint directly with us so that we can apologize and explain some of the circumstances surrounding their care.
“Our service continues to face significant pressure and demand, and we are working closely with partners and agents to reduce delays for patients.”
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