Law Firm Receives ‘Deeply Concerning’ Accounts Of Families Being Let Down By Health Trust

Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have urged an ambulance trust to ensure patient safety after NHS staff raised concerns about the levels of care they can provide.

Employees at South Western Ambulance Service (SWAST) have issued a public letter of apology in which they make a series of claims about the running of the trust.

Patients being left in hospital corridors because ambulance staff cannot complete handovers with doctors and delays in treating non-emergency cases because there was not enough staff were among the concerns raised by members of the GMB union.

The letter also alleged patient’s lives were being put at risk because of poor mismanagement by ambulance service bosses. Union members also fear that staff will make mistakes when treating patients because of tiredness amongst ‘overrun’ workers.

However, SWAST said all ambulance services across the NHS were ‘experiencing significant pressure’. Bosses added that the trust had recorded the best staff engagement results across all ambulance trusts in the most recent national staff survey.  

Expert medical negligence at Irwin Mitchell’s Bristol office have now urged SWAST to make sure patient safety is a priority and that people in need receive swift emergency treatment.

Julie Lewis is regional managing partner at Irwin Mitchell.

Expert Opinion

The first-hand accounts we have heard from our clients and their families who have been let down by SWAST are deeply concerning. Often these can have implications for patient safety.

“Whilst Irwin Mitchell acknowledges the outstanding work performed by many of those employed by SWAST, we believe that more needs to be done to ensure that critically ill patients receive medical attention as quickly as possible because, as we have sadly seen in the past, it can often be the difference between life and death.” Julie Lewis - Partner