7:00am Thursday 11th March 2010
By John Geoghegan
A MAN was forced to call an ambulance from a hospital car park because staff said they could not help carry his disabled partner 200 yards to the entrance.
Donatella Coppini, 42, suffers from a degenerative spinal condition, osteoarthritis, which means she has to use walking sticks to get around.
Her partner Nick Ault, 34, drove her into the car park of Southend Hospital’s A&E department, off Prittlewell Chase.
Ms Coppini was in pain and unable to move after her back seized up as Mr Ault, who is also her full-time carer, parked about 200 yards from the hospital entrance.
But when he asked hospital staff to help escort her into the hospital, they said they could not and told him to call an ambulance to take her the short distance.
The couple, who live in Elm Road, Shoebury, are planning to make a formal complaint to the hospital.
Mr Ault said: “It blows my mind basically. It’s supposed to be a hospital.
“If someone fell over outside and cracked their head would they need to call 999?
“I think it’s pathetic and unacceptable.
“She was in the car and couldn’t move. I asked if someone could get help to get her out of the car.
“They said they would have to call 999 to help them. So I had to dial 999 even though it was just 200 yards from A&E. She goes to the hospital quite regularly for her condition.”
Dr Caroline Howard, clinical director of A&E, said reception staff are not trained to deal with assisting people like Ms Coppini, so were unable to help.
She said: “This is standard procedure.
“Our staff are not trained in pre-hospital care – that is what the ambulance service specialises in.
“Additionally, we have a set ratio of nursing staff in our A&E department and if any staff leave the department, it leaves us short to care for the patients we have in our care.”
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