Ambulances often delayed at A&E as patients transferred

Ambulances are being delayed for over an hour at hospital emergency departments on a constant basis as ambulance crews wait to hand over patients, new figures show.

Data obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act indicate that, in some parts of the State last year, more than 80 per cent of ambulances had to wait at least 60 minutes for their crews to get their trolleys back so they could return to 999 calls.

On Saturday, The Irish Times reported serious problems, with ambulances in some parts of the country responding to less than 45 per cent of 999 calls made in respect of the most serious life-threatening conditions within the target time of 18 minutes and 59 seconds. The HSE's own target was 70 per cent of these calls should have an ambulance on scene within this time-frame.

Turnaround times were longest in the midlands last year, where ambulances were waiting at least an hour in over 80 per cent of cases, in January, March, May and July. In February, April, June, August and September they were waiting an hour or more in over 79 per cent of cases.

In the southwest, ambulances were waiting an hour or more in 79 per cent of cases in September and in 58 per of cases in November. In the east they were delayed at least an hour in 40-48 per cent of cases in the first eight months of 2013. Ambulance crews and patients fared better in the northeast.

A&E doctors and the Irish Nurses ’and Midwives’ Organisation say the closure of smaller A&Es is putting “unbearable pressure” on the larger ones, and ambulances are waiting longer to hand over patients.