Pensioner stranded at Leighton Hospital

An emotional Pamela Walker told the Guardian she was stranded at Leighton Hospital from 3pm until 7pm, when she eventually ordered a £20 taxi ride home to Rudheath.

The 80-year-old said: "7pm came and I said 'I can't wait any longer, get me a taxi please', they got me a taxi and I had to pay £20 out of my own purse and I didn't get home until eight o' clock at night."

Pamela had pre-booked the ambulance, run by North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust's (NWAS) patient transport service, to take her to an appointment at the urology unit at 2.45pm on February 1.

She had arranged for the vehicle to pick her up again at 3pm and take her back to her Maitland Wood Close home.

"I waited one hour, two hours, three hours, by then I had asked 20 times when the ambulance was coming to pick me up," she said.

She was moved to the main entrance to wait and then the discharge unit, but still the ambulance did not arrive for her.

"By then I was crying because I have insulin injections at 4pm and that was at home," she said.

"What made it worse is that I was on my own."

She added: "My son is a chef so he couldn't make arrangements, but he was a bit annoyed because he said I should have rung him and he would have knocked off work – but I didn't like to."

A NWAS spokesperson said: "We understand if a Patient Transport Service (PTS) vehicle is delayed it can be stressful for the patient.

"With regard to the patient’s return journey from hospital, the vehicle was unfortunately delayed as it was an exceptionally busy day for the Trust’s PTS.

"We sincerely apologise for this delay.

"When the vehicle arrived at the hospital the patient was not at the pickup point.

"The driver made a number of attempts to locate the patient in waiting areas across the hospital, but unfortunately without success.

"A representative from our patient experience team will be in touch with the patient in order to discuss the matter further."