Outrage After 'Inconsiderate' Drivers Block In Ambulance On 999 Call

'How would they feel if it was their family member delayed getting to hospital?'
Birmingham paramedics responding to a 999 call found themselves blocked in by 'inconsiderate' parking
Birmingham paramedics responding to a 999 call found themselves blocked in by 'inconsiderate' parking
West Midlands Ambulance Service

Paramedics attending an emergency call have shared photos of the moment they were unable to take a patient to hospital because drivers had blocked in their ambulance.

Birmingham-based Simon Wong and his crew, who work for the West Midlands Ambulance Service, were unable to stretcher their elderly patient into the ambulance due to the ā€œinconsiderate parkingā€.

ā€œAttended a 999 call,ā€ Wong wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, attaching images of the incident.

ā€œWhen returning to the ambulance with the patient to go to hospital, cars had blocked us in front and back - despite us parking on double yellows with our rear light flashing.ā€

ā€œIt says keep clear on the ambulance for a reason,ā€ he added.

Attended a 999 call. When returning to šŸš‘ with PT to goto šŸ„. Cars had blocked us in front & back. Despite us parking on double yellows with our rear light flashing. Unable to get the stretcher on or off. #inconsiderateparking. It says keep clear on the šŸš‘ for a reason šŸ˜” pic.twitter.com/alCK3Djjx9

ā€” Simon Wong (@wmassimonwong) February 27, 2018

The patient was eventually taken to hospital after members of the public found the owner of one of the cars, who moved the vehicle.

Wong added: ā€œDriver said they were allowed to park there as their relative was disabled and didnā€™t understand what the problem was [with] parking so close to the back of the ambulance.ā€

A spokesperson for the West Midlands Ambulance Service called the incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, ā€œhugely disappointingā€.

ā€œWe would hope it would be common sense to people to avoid parking so close because it has the potential, as was the case in this situation, to delay the patient getting to hospital,ā€ they said.

ā€œBefore deciding to park to close to our ambulance we urge people to stop and think how they would feel if it was their family member delayed getting to hospital in an emergency because someone had blocked one of our vehicles in.ā€

The elderly patient was delayed in getting to hospital for treatment
The elderly patient was delayed in getting to hospital for treatment
West Midlands Ambulance Service

The episode follows a series of incidents involving ambulances in the UK.

Kirsty Sharman, 26, was charged with a public order offence in connection with an abusive note left on an ambulance in Stoke-on-Trent telling paramedics to ā€œmove your van from outside my houseā€.

The handwritten message read: ā€œIf this van is for anyone but Number 14 then you have no right to be parked here.

ā€œI couldnā€™t give a shit if the whole street collapsed.ā€

Sharman was ordered to pay a total of Ā£285 in fines, surcharges and court costs earlier this month.

But just days later, one warm-hearted stranger hit the headlines after leaving paramedics a message thanking the emergency service team for ā€œsaving lives day in, day outā€.

ā€œWithout people like you, we would not know what to do! So thank you! Really, thank you,ā€ the note read.

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