Salisbury ambulances delayed by 'enormous NHS pressure'
A busy A&E department over Christmas meant some paramedics were kept off the road
Figures from NHS England show 301 patients were taken to Salisbury District Hospital by ambulance between the 21st and 27th of December.
But the level of people needing emergency care meant that in 16 incidents, crews didn't get their handover 'paperwork' completed for between 30 and 60 minutes after arrival.
In three cases, the wait was over an hour.
National targets are for the handover to be done within 15 minutes so paramedics can get back out and prepared for the next calls coming in.
The Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust tell us that no patients were denied treatment during the delays, with people brought in and immediately cared for.
But they have said the delays for ambulance crews was caused by the high demand being faced by the A&E department.
The British Medical Association has also responded to the figures, saying that tighter coronavirus restrictions are the only way to keep us safe and 'ensure more people don't become seriously ill or die'.
BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said:
"As we hear more reports of hospitals declaring major incidents, ICU beds reaching 100% capacity in parts of the country, and patients having to be transferred to other hospitals for care, it is vital that everything possible is done to bring down the spread of the virus.
"If we continue at this trajectory, the health service will struggle to get patients in urgent need of care, the care they need - we must all be able to depend upon the NHS."
At Salisbury District Hospital, patients are encouraged to call NHS 111 for advice before attending A&E.
We're also asked to keep the number of people accompanying you to an absolute minimum.
Visiting to all other areas of the hospital is currently suspended, except for those receiving end of life care and for patients with special needs.