Pensioner: 'Don't sack driver who left me in ambulance'

Exclusive by John Scheerhout

November 02, 2009

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A SICK pensioner abandoned in an ambulance for five hours wants the driver who forgot him to keep his job.

The M.E.N exclusively revealed on Saturday how the 65-year-old patient was trapped inside the vehicle at Sharston ambulance station in Wythenshawe until he was found at 1.15am following a police alert.

The driver was supposed to take him back to his Northenden care home after he left a hospital appointment at 7pm. But after dropping off three other patients, the driver took the vehicle back to the station and locked it up for the night when his shift ended at 8pm - with the man still inside.

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has launched an urgent inquiry and the driver has been suspended.

Ambulance chiefs have personally apologised to the man, who was unhurt. The kidney patient, who lives on Longley Lane, Northenden, has decided not to make a formal complaint and wants the driver to keep his job, it has emerged.

A NWAS spokeswoman said: "The patient and his family have asked us not to sack the member of staff concerned. They put it down as a simple accident and they want to forget about it.

"But obviously we can't do that from our perspective. They haven't even put a formal complaint in although it's open to them."

The spokeswoman added the investigation could take weeks or months. During that time the driver - officially titled a care assistant - will remain at home.

The patient had attended a regular 7pm appointment at Manchester Royal Infirmary last Tuesday.

Bosses at the care home said he was usually brought home by ambulance between 7pm and 7.30pm and the alarm was raised at his care home after he failed to return.

The spokeswoman added: "There's no way we can defend this incident. It was absolutely appalling. It was a terrible incident. All we can do is hold our hands up."

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MPs gravy train, UK (02/11/2009 at 09:43)

Good on the pensioner. Too many people see incidents like this as an opportunity to make a claim for money.

I don't see why it will take months to investigate the incident. Typical public sector. In the private sector the guy would be in front of his manager and a decision made TODAY. But no, let's keep him on full pay sat at home for weeks or months instead.

Andanotherthing, Mcr (02/11/2009 at 10:01)

I agree with MPs gravy train

It is so good to know that there are still sensible people out there like this man and his family.

How long does it take to issue a ruling that your vehicle must be confirmed as empty on arrival back at the depot.? Issue the man with a warning and get him back to work asap.

salfordrat (02/11/2009 at 10:16)

While I applaude the attitude of the pensioner, I cannot help wonder what circumstances would lead to this happening. Perhaps is the guy had been on some kind of insanely long shift and was mentally exhausted - other than that it would appear that this oversight, should it happen again, could easily cost somebody their life. I am keen to hear what the outcome is and why the care assisstant managed to forget about the patient, though by the time there is any information it will not be newsworthy and we will probably never know.

kiernanmb, salford (02/11/2009 at 10:21)

Great on the old chap,make him an MP ,just warn the driver he wont do it again.

PW, Manchester (02/11/2009 at 12:13)

A man with a heart and compassion. Give the driver the usual warning and let him put it behind him. If he's already feeling terrible then surely it's punishment enough.

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (02/11/2009 at 12:35)

I hope the NHS listen to this decent pensioner, the crew made a mistake but there are not enough emergency personnel as it is, demote him or give him a serious reprimand but don't take away the front line emergency crew, it will only put first aider under immense pressure

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (02/11/2009 at 12:40)

I was once left in a cubicle at Salford Hospital A & E with a deep cut to my foot, it was 1 1/2 hours before I got up, bled on the floor and asked what was happening because the curtain was closed. I found they had put my file away. I didn't make a song and dance about it, they just stitched me up next as a matter of priority.

I used to laugh at the way Americans claimed for everything, everybody had a lawyer but I don't laugh now

ThinkTank, North Mcr (02/11/2009 at 13:02)

Good on the pensioner for taking it so well! No doubt if he was 40 years younger he'd be crying out at his mental distress and counting the pound signs by now.
Whilst it was an idiotic mistake surely if the driver has a good record a slap on the wrists and a stern ticking off will rectify the whole situation. Instead he'll be suspended on full pay for months, someone else will have to work overtime and a mountain of paperwork will be filed before he gets sacked to make an example of him. Ridiculous.

Gone in a single flush (02/11/2009 at 13:29)

Dont be daft man...SUE.

JTC Formerley JimC (02/11/2009 at 15:59)

Good on this decent old chap. Well done, it is nice to read something with common sense in it.

I was in a taxi that was in a crash, the 1st thing the driver said was put a claim in, even though there was nothing wrong with me.

I made the driver buy me a brandy from the Crown and Cushion pub as that is where it happened.

That large brandy was more than enough compensation for me.

Doobydoo, Worsley (02/11/2009 at 17:11)

There is no reason for this man to lose his job. An unfortunate incident occurred. I assume that those suggesting that the pensioner and his family sue have NEVER made a mistake in their jobs. OK so there was a human being left in an ambulance. Fortunately no harm came to him. But the driver is also human. We do not know the full details of how the driver managed to forget a patient left in the ambulance but I am sure that the driver is feeling extremely sorry about the incident. A reprimand on his personnel record should suffice.

paul (02/11/2009 at 17:11)

We are all human and everyone makes mistakes.Sure this was a big mistake but thankfully no real harm was done and the man concerned who had every right to complain wants an end to the matter.

The driver shouldn't endure mental torment for months wondering if he will have a job or not.Find out the reasons it happened,make steps to ensure it doesn't happen again,warn the driver to be more careful and put it to bed!All this could be done in a couple of days tops!

justbeinghonest, Manchester (02/11/2009 at 17:12)

What a breath of fresh air after the comments at weekend. Hats off to the patient, obviously a decent chap.

Frank K (02/11/2009 at 18:04)

What a refreshing change. You can tell the bloke is from the older generation. Top man!

Blackraven, Manchester (02/11/2009 at 19:37)

Well done that man! As for the NWAS driver, correct he shouldn't have left the pensioner in his vehicle, but then again, he's only human, we all make mistakes! I defy anybody who claim that they haven't!!

Horatio Dogsbody, Flixton (02/11/2009 at 23:08)

"The spokeswoman added the investigation could take weeks or months."

Good grief! How many forms has the manager got to fill in? There was only one driver, one patient and one ambulance involved in one incident. Two hours tops to ascertain the facts. Still, I suppose it then has to pass up and down sixteen layers of bureaucracy before a final conclusion can be reached!

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (03/11/2009 at 12:52)

Horatio Dogsbody: don't forget, lawyers have to get something out of it as well

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