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Dementia patient was left lying on the floor of care home for TWO HOURS because ambulance staff were 'too busy' to come and help
Grandfather Harold Dowers could not be moved because of medical protocol The 82-year-old spent more than two hours waiting for an ambulance Care home manager said the incident was 'distressing' for Mr Dowers
By Eleanor Harding PUBLISHED: 17:03 GMT, 8 September 2013 | UPDATED: 22:53 GMT, 8 September 2013

94 shares 41 View comments

A grandfather lay for hours on the floor after a fall because ambulance staff were too busy to come to his aid. Harold Dowers, 82, was forced to wait for two and a half hours because other emergency calls in the area were prioritised over his. The former BT engineer lay in distress as workers at his care home tried their best to comfort him and keep him warm. Yesterday, North West Ambulance Service launched an investigation over accusations they put the pensioners life at risk with the delay.

Harold Dowers, 82, was forced to stay on the floor of the Marple Lodge care home in Stockport for two-and-a-half hours while waiting for an ambulance

Mr Dowers daughter Jennifer Holt, 50, submitted a formal complaint demanding to know why he was not seen sooner. She said: I want to know how they know he was wasnt priority. In the position he was in he could have easily died just lay on the floor. Im not someone that makes a complaint easily, I think Im just so shocked by what happened that I want to know why. Mr Dowers, who has dementia, had a fall at Marple Lodge care home in Stockport, Greater Manchester. Staff phoned 999 first at 12.22am and then two more times to chase the ambulance up but were told the crews were busy on priority calls. It finally arrived at 02.50am. In the meantime, they were left powerless to move him because they were unable to tell whether he had broken any bones. Instead, they had to keep him on the floor, covering him with blankets and comforting him as best they could.

Care home manager Fay Cameron says ambulances normally arrive at Marple Lodge (pictured) within five minutes of being called

Mr Dowers, who did not suffer any serious injuries in the fall, was kept in at Stepping Hill Hospital overnight. Mrs Holt, a florist, rushed to his side in hospital when she was called at 3am and told what had happened. She said: I asked what time he had fallen and they said about 12-ish and I was shocked because that was two-and-a-half hours earlier. I was concerned for him at that point he was shouting out and we didnt know how he was. We didnt know if he was in pain or discomfort or if he was hurt. I was disgusted with the wait and I would be no matter who it was for regardless of their age of reason for calling. Her father has now been discharged and is back at Marple Lodge.

The ambulance services said an investigation has been launched into the incident

Care home manager Fay Cameron said ambulances normally arrive at Marple Lodge within five minutes of calling them. She said it was the policy of the home not to move people who had suffered a fall before medical experts

had examined them. She added: My staff made three calls that night and were told the crews were having a busy night. His condition could have deteriorated in the time it took for the ambulance to arrive and could have died within that length of time. They did not know what was wrong with him. It was distressing for him and he had no understanding of what was going on. At the end of the day someones life was put at risk. Two and a half hours was a long time and I do not think it is good enough. The NWAS said an investigation has been launched into the incident and that the ambulance are prioritised based on medical need. A spokesman said: We understand that waiting for an ambulance can be distressing for the patient and their family. When received, all 999 calls are categorised within the control rooms, based on the information given by the caller, to ensure that patients are prioritised on the basis of their medical need. Although the service strives to attend to every patient as quickly as possible, those with serious, life threatening conditions require a more urgent response.

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Comments (41)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all It wasn't the care staff on duty's fault - it was the local NHS's fault... I feel for all involved - even the probably overstretched (budget-wise) health services, TBH... - PrivateSi , WORCS, 08/9/2013 20:03 Click to rate Report abuse It is not the ambulances job to pick up fallen residents in care homes. They are there to transport critically ill patients to hospital care as quickly as possible (that is why they have the sirens and all). The care home should have medically trained staff who are Rating 86

capable of lifting residents and ensuring they are comfortable. - Babe , In Belgium, 08/9/2013 20:00 Click to rate Report abuse So, it wasn't the care workers, it was the ambulance service, and only because there were higher prioritised cases at that particular time? Not much uproar to be had really, is there? - Sam , Stockport, 08/9/2013 19:54 Click to rate Report abuse The care home behaved entirely appropriately. If you're not trained to move a patient with a potential fracture you make them comfortable and request medical attention. They did this. The problem is under staffing of emergency services. Government are aware of this but choose to blame their predecessors and sell off the NHS - Jo , Canterbury, United Kingdom, 08/9/2013 19:54 Click to rate Report abuse The difference between a care'residential home and a nursing home. Nursing homes have to have medically trained staff on site at all times. This home managers protocol was spot on, do not move a patient unless you are sure they will not suffer physical injury in the move. The travesty is the time it took the emergency services to arrive. - Nik , Leeds, 08/9/2013 19:53 Click to rate Report abuse Can't believe that dm put this headline in. Should have been man with dementia lay on floor for two hours because ambulance did not arrive. Anyone with any sense would know that he may have broken his hip and therefore moving him would have been more dangerous to this gentleman. - mary , northumberland, 08/9/2013 19:50 Click to rate Report abuse Every care home should have a member of staff capable of dealing with these sort of incidents at all times it just beggars belief what is happening to our country no doubt the elf and safety have a lot to answer for in this circumstance - davidhayes44 , COVENTRY, United Kingdom, 08/9/2013 19:48 Click to rate Report abuse I don't think you can fault nwas for this one. Yes the gentleman could have got worse, but he didn't and didn't shown any signs he was going to get worse... I'm sure if he had got worse the care home would have rang 999 again and the ambulance would have arrived sooner. - skint , Cheshire, 08/9/2013 19:47 Click to rate Report abuse Not to defend then but I'm guessing they did t want to aggravate any potential injuries (fractured neck of femur). I'd be more concerned that the ambulance took so long. Rating 41 Rating 32 Rating 226 Rating 135 Rating 130 Rating 172 Rating 105

- cat , Glasgow, 08/9/2013 19:46 Click to rate Report abuse Whilst I agree that it is ridiculous for an elderly gent to be placed in this situation, I do not understand why the daughter is blaming the ambulance service as they would be dealing with more serious calls first. As someone who has an elderly relative with dementia in a care home, and having received similar phone calls to inform me of a fall and that 'the ambulance service has been called' because the nursing staff are not trained to pick them up, I have wondered for quite some time now why these staff are not trained. It is a well known fact that the frail and elderly are more prone to falling so at minimum I believe there should be a staff member on duty at all times who is qualified to assess for injury and all staff should be trained how to lift. This is one of the main reasons hospitals are full of elderly patients who don't necessarily have to be there. - kay , midlands, 08/9/2013 19:45 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Rating 63 Rating 60

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