Lives ‘at risk’ as trolley numbers soar

PATIENTS could lose their lives unless steps are taken to ease the beds crisis which has left 569 people on trolleys, it was claimed last night.

The National Ambulance Service Representative Association said sub-standard emergency call-out times could be further affected by the crisis in emergency departments across the country, with ambulance staff stuck with patients in hospitals because staff there cannot deal with them.

Derek O’Rourke of NASRA said the phenomenon of ambulances being left waiting outside crowded emergency departments (EDs) was already a common feature before the latest crisis which has seen record numbers on trolleys.