Patient Transport Ambulance Didn’t Turn Up

A pensioner says she was left shocked and upset when a non-emergency ambulance failed to turn-up to take her to an important hospital appointment.

Linette Ardern                                                Pic: Will Johnston Photography

80 year old Linette Ardern from Kibworth booked the ambulance to take her for an X-ray at St Luke’s Hospital in Market Harborough last week.

She told Hfm she made a number of phone calls to find out where it was after it didn’t turn-up, eventually being told it wouldn’t be coming at all.

Mrs Ardern has now arranged for charity VASL to provide transport so she can get to her appointment, as she has no faith an ambulance will come to collect her.

Pic: Will Johnston Photography

Thames Ambulance Service (TASL) who operate patient transport on behalf of the local NHS has apologised and launched an investigation.

A spokesman for the North West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, in charge of non-urgent ambulances across the area told Hfm: “It is regretful and unacceptable that the vehicle transport did not arrive to help Mrs Arden attend her appointment, and we will work with TASL to review what may have gone wrong and why.”