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Health bosses are apologising after a five-year-old child, knocked over by a car in Ryde on Sunday morning, is understood to have had to wait for an hour an a half for an ambulance.
According to social media reports, the boy was “in great distress and shock” after being hit by a car in the High Street.
Witnesses dialled 999, but a policeman who attended the scene was told that no ambulance was available on the Isle of Wight at the time of the incident.
It’s alleged that after an hour, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance landed at Ryde School on Queen’s Road and paramedics attended the scene. And half an hour later, a policeman driving an ambulance transferred the child to St Mary’s Hospital.
According to an Isle of Wight NHS spokesperson, all five emergency ambulances and the rapid response car were busy dealing with life threatening emergencies – in incidents where the patient is unconscious and not breathing.
A statement received by IW Radio continued: “As a result the Air Ambulance was scrambled and at 12:05 was on route from Thruxton to the Island where it landed in the grounds at Ryde School.
“Hampshire Constabulary Officers assisted the air ambulance paramedics by transferring them by car from Ryde School to the scene. However when it became apparent that the Island’s ambulances were still all engaged in life threatening emergencies elsewhere and that Hampshire Constabulary were unable to transfer the child in their vehicle to the air ambulance, it was agreed that Police officers would collect an ambulance from the St. Mary’s Hospital site to enable the air ambulance paramedics to assist with a road transfer to St. Mary’s.
“Chief Ambulance Officer for the Island, Chris Smith, said: “We’re extremely sorry that this child had to wait for an ambulance but regrettably all six of our vehicles were deployed on life threatening incidents elsewhere and whilst accepting the delay occurred the child’s condition was closely monitored by our Clinical support desk team who had ascertained the child’s injury were none life threatening and lower leg trauma related and were able to monitor the incident on CCTV from our emergency call centre on the Island. That is why we called the Air Ambulance to assist with this incident. We are grateful to the Air Ambulance and Hampshire Constabulary officers for assisting us with this incident which shows great collaboration when required.
“Five emergency ambulances and one rapid response car are the normal ambulance resources available on the Island for emergency calls during the day on a Sunday. It is unusual for all six to be involved in life threatening emergencies at the same time. Unlike the mainland where ambulance services are able to call on a neighbouring service for assistance, the Island’s Ambulance Service has to call on the Air Ambulance to assist when all other resources are already deployed.”
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