Exclusive: Pensioner taken to hospital in fire engine due to ambulance shortage

QRadio can reveal a north Belfast pensioner with a serious head injury was taken to hospital in a fire engine - because no ambulances were available.

The man fell in the Newington street area of north Belfast on Thursday July 28th.

It took just under 30 minutes for the patient to be rushed to hospital.

22 ambulances and emergency response vehicles had been dispatched to an Emergency call at Belfast International airport .

This meant certain parts of the city were left exposed with no cover.

Fire fighters waited 29 minutes before deciding to move the man themselves.

John McPoland is from the Ambulance Service.

He says extreme pressures meant all its crews and rapid response vehicles were engaged on other calls.

In a statement the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said:

"The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a call at 10:37 on Thursday 28 July from Fire Control to inform us that one of their crews was with an elderly gentleman who had fallen in Newington Street, Belfast, and sustained a serious head injury but was alert and responsive. Based on the information available the call was prioritised correctly as a Category B call i.e. not immediately or potentially life threatening. 

"NIAS seeks to respond to all calls as quickly as possible but we monitor our performance against Category B calls with a target that we should reach 95% of Category B calls within 21 minutes."

The NIAS told Q radio news, "NIAS understands that there is concern as to why it took so long to respond to a patient suffering a heart attack. We did not receive any information that indicated that this was a cardiac related call and therefore prioritised it correctly."

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said they continue to respond to an ever increasing demand on the service.

"It is important that we prioritise all incoming calls to ensure that those who have the greater clinical need receive the fastest possible response. On this occasion, as soon as we became aware of a deteriorating patient we re-categorised the call and despatched the nearest available and appropriate resource to the scene within 3 minutes."

^{The timeline in relation to this call was as follows:}

• ^{10:37 NIFRS contacted NIAS control requesting an ambulance at Newington Street for a patient who had fallen and had sustained a serious head injury but was conscious and alert.}
• ^{10:46 NIFRS contacted NIAS control requesting an ETA for an ambulance crew and were told that crews were still tied up on other calls.}
• ^{10:59, we received a further call from NIFRS to inform us that their crew was reporting deterioration in the condition of the patient. They were advised that we would send a crew as soon as one became available. The call was then re-categorised at this time to Category A.}
• ^{11:02 a crew became available at Ulster Hospital Dundonald and was despatched to Newington Street.}
• ^{11:06 we received a further call from NIFRS to inform us that the fire crew had decided to place the patient on a spinal board and take him to hospital. We were asked to inform the hospital.}
• ^{11:08 the responding ambulance crew was stood down.}

In a statement, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said:

“Around 10.30am on Thursday 28^th July, Firefighters from Whitla Fire Station were returning to Station when they witnessed a man in his 80’s  fall off the pavement at Newington Street in North Belfast.

“They immediately stopped to offer assistance to the casualty and alerted Northern Ireland Ambulance Service at 10:38am. 

Due to the rapidly deteriorating  condition of the man, who had suffered serious head injuries from the fall,  Firefighters transported him in the Fire Appliance shortly after 11am to the Royal Victoria Hospital receive immediate medical assistance.” 

Q radio contacted the Health Minister for a response on more than one occasion.

However, Michelle O'Neill refused to comment.

If you have been affected by this story or know the pensioner involved contact the Q radio news team on: 02890 890140