THE SOUTH Wales Ambulance Service has said it is “very sorry” after a Sully woman had to wait nearly two hours to be taken to hospital.

The woman, who was in her 80’s, fell over when she was leaving the Sully Constitutional Club at around 2pm on Monday, December 1, and wasn’t taken to hospital until nearly 4pm.

Allegations that the woman was dropped from her stretcher by paramedics are “currently being investigated internally” by the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Local residents have criticised the delay in taking the woman to hospital.

“It is shocking that a person, whatever their age, should have to wait two hours on the pavement on a December day for an ambulance. Whatever is happening to our health service?”

Darren Panniers, Welsh Ambulance Service locality manager for Cardiff and Vale LHB area, said:

“We are very sorry for the delay in responding to this call. At the time of this call, all our crews and vehicles were already committed to other patients both in the community and at hospitals across the region, where significant handover delays meant we were unable to respond to this call as quickly as we wanted to.

“Please be reassured that we are working harder than ever with our health board colleagues to minimise these delays and ensure our ambulances are available for those who need us most urgently.”

He added: “The call to this patient was categorised as serious but not immediately life-threatening and requiring a 30-minute response. A paramedic in a rapid response car was dispatched as soon as one became available and was at the scene within four minutes, just over an hour and a half from the time of the initial call.”

He added: “Other issues which raised in relation to this call as currently being investigated internally. “However, we would encourage this patient or her family to contact the Trust directly if they would like to discuss their concerns in more detail.”