Patients hit by ambulance drivers` action

The Health Division yesterday said patients were being hit by the partial industrial action being taken by ambulance drivers, and a number of services could not be provided.

Over the past 24 hours, five patients suffering from an acute medical problem had to make their own way to the hospital, the division said in a statement.

"This was directly due to the fact that ambulance drivers are refusing to transport patients who are not accompanied by a nurse. None of the above patients required the assistance of a nurse during transportation to hospital."

Patients were also suffering delays in their treatment and prolonged stays in hospital.

Giving examples, the division said that on Friday a patient at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital was given blood 12 hours after the original request was made by the doctor on duty, because transport to carry blood from the Blood Transfusion Unit to Boffa Hospital was not provided.

The patient became very distressed on learning that she had to stay for a longer period of time at the hospital.

On Tuesday, a young patient who needed to be transferred from St Luke`s Hospital to Sir Paul Boffa Hospital for chemotherapy as part of her treatment was denied the ambulance service.

In order not to let the patient miss out on her cancer treatment, the administration of St Luke`s Hospital had to rent out the ambulance service of the Red Cross.

In another case on May 9, an amputee at St Luke`s Hospital was discharged and given a twice-weekly appointment on an outpatient basis with the physiotherapy department for further necessary rehabilitation. Being an amputee and living in an apartment on the second floor, this patient would need to make use of the hospital transport services.

However, due to the ongoing dispute, this patient will not be brought to hospital for his outpatient appointment. Therefore the patient will be kept as an in-patient until the dispute ends, "resulting in undue distress for the patient who is away from his family and occupying a much needed bed unnecessarily".

The action is now in its fifth week. Ambulance drivers are under directives, including a ban on overtime, issued by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin in support of a claim for an allowance after the drivers attended a first aid course.