WOMAN IN FIVE-HOUR 999 DELAY TORMENT
CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS
AWOMAN was left lying on the pavement in agonising pain for more than five hours, it has been claimed, after she slipped in the street. The 43-year-old woman was in Llewellyn Avenue at around 10.10am yesterday when she slipped and hurt her ankle – but was waiting until 3.15pm before an ambulance arrived.
The Welsh Ambulance Service said it is investigating the causes of the delay and has apologised to the family following the incident.
Jackie Whiller, 54, had stayed with the woman the whole time.
After repeatedly hearing sirens during the wait but not seeing any ambulances appearing, Jackie was reduced to tweeting to the Welsh Ambulance Service.
She tweeted: “@WelshAmbulance We have a lady in Ely on the pavement with a broken Ankle 3 hrs 30mins still no Ambulance.”
They replied with: “Really sorry to hear this Jackie. We are very busy but appreciate this is a distressing wait. Hope all sorted now or will be soon.”
When Jackie tweeted again: “@ WelshAmbulance thanks for your reply no still on the pavement 4hrs 15mins shaking really badly now”, they replied: “We’ll be there as soon as we can. Really sorry about the wait. If the patient is visibly deteriorating please call us back.” If we have published anything that is factually inaccurate, please contact Sandra Loy on 029 2024 3604, at sandra.loy@walesonline. co.uk or at Sandra Loy, Wales on Sunday, Media Wales, Six Park Street, Cardiff, CF10 1XR and, once verified, we will correct it as soon as possible.
Speaking about the incident, Jackie said: “You could quite clearly see she had done some damage. Her toes were at an odd angle.”
She said the ambulance was called at 10.10am. She added: “We waited 30-40 minutes and her daughter rang again and they told us not to move her or give her any food or drink.”
They continued to call 999 throughout the afternoon.
Jackie said at 2pm the ambulance service called again to say four incidents were in front of the woman. She said: “He asked if he could send a taxi and we said lots of us here have cars but we were told not to move her. So he said to keep her there.
“She was covered in blankets but the floor was soaking wet and at one stage we saw her go into shock.
“It was between 3.15pm and 3.30pm when they actually arrived, just over five hours.”
A spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: “We can confirm we had a 999 call in the Ely area. We are investigating the causes of the delay. We apologise to the patient and family for the stress caused and want them to contact us so we can speak to them directly.” The Wales on Sunday newspaper is published by Media Wales a subsidiary company of Trinity Mirror PLC, which is a member of IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. We adhere to the Editors’ Code Of Practice as enforced by IPSO who are contactable for advice at IPSO Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street, London, EC4M 7LG. Website http://www.ipso.co.uk/ Telephone: 0300 123 2220 email advice@ipso.co.uk
HOLLYWOOD actor Michael Sheen says he’s ready to quit acting and Hollywood in favour of returning home to Wales to fight the rise of the “hard populist right”.
The Masters of Sex actor, 47, revealed his plans after describing how a “demagogic, fascistic” drift of politics in the western world in recent years has left him horrified.
He revealed to The Times magazine that he plans to put acting to one side – even if it means for good – to return to his hometown of Port Talbot to take part in grass-roots organising and see where it leads.
Donald Trump’s US election win has since put “massive urgency” into Sheen’s thoughts about going home, after what he describes as a “demagogic, fascistic” drift of politics in the western world. Sheen told the magazine he turned down a chance to play Donald Trump on screen last year due to a lack of time to prepare for the role.
He added: “In the same way as the Nazis had to be stopped in Germany in the Thirties, this thing that is on the rise has to be stopped. But it has to be understood before it can be stopped.”
Sheen, who revealed he isn’t signed up for a new project after his new movie is released, is set to step up his commitment to activism and politics through grass-roots organising in Wales.
He told the magazine: “It means that I would work less as an actor, and possibly stop.”
The Twilight star has been busy making trips around Wales, to Birmingham and the Basque country in Spain to learn more about community projects which could be emulated in his hometown.
“Once I’m in, I’m fully in, and this is big. It will be a big change If you have a complaint concerning a potential breach of the Code of Practice, we will deal with your complaint directly or IPSO can refer your complaint to us. Please go to http://www. trinitymirror.com/howtocomplain where you can view our Complaints Policy and Procedure. A “How To Complain” pack is also available by writing to the Legal and Compliance Department, Trinity Mirror PLC, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP