Over 3,000 Patients Face Ambulance Handover Delays At Wrexham Maelor

The number of patients left facing delays in being handed over by ambulance crews at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has almost doubled in three years.

According to statistics obtained by Wrexham.com under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 3,262 patients were left waiting longer than 15 minutes to be handed over in 2011.

That was almost double the number in 2009 when 1,696 people faced delays.

The figure went up by around 500 in 2010 to 2,194 but by 2011 was up by over 1,000.

Normally the target hand over time for patients is within 15 minutes.

The procedure usually involves the wireless transmission of patients’ details from the ambulance to the hospital before paramedics give a verbal briefing to clinical staff.

Wrexham.com is currently awaiting comment from the Welsh Ambulance Service on our findings.