What's the longest you have had to wait for an ambulance?7

About an hour when I fell and broke my ankle on a cliff top. The paramedics got me wrapped up warm on a stretcher and gave me morphine, but decided it wasn't safe to carry me back to the ambulance, given the terrain, so I waited a further hour for a Royal Navy helicopter to arrive and airlift me to hospital. I was comfortable and had a nice view of the sea while I waited, though. 🙂 My mum posed for a photo with the crew while I was being put in the ambulance to take me from the helipad to the A and E entrance. 🙄 😅

I waited about 20 minutes for an ambulance when I broke my hip and wrist. This was around midnight on a Sunday night, so maybe it's not so busy at that time?
🤷‍♀️

First time was in Dumfries and Galloway (was flown to Ayr Hospital) , seventeen years ago. Second time was home in Glasgow, this February.

My Dad had a heart attack. He was unconscious so I couldn’t move him. The 999 operator said it would be an hour for an ambulance. She also said that the clinical lead would ring me back and might suggest an alternative treatment source, like a pharmacy. I laughed.

it took 2 hours for the ambulance to arrive.

Both times about 15 minutes, maybe ten. Both were serious things that I assume would tick boxes, one immediately life threatening so very grateful it was fast.

When I had my 2nd heart attack I was told it could be 2 hours. I got my ex to drive me to A&E. I knew what it was and said that, but I don’t think they often believe women with chest pain.

My 3 rd heart attack I was in the car with DP so we drove to hospital.

Felt quite lucky when we only waited 45 minutes a few weeks ago when dh fell down the stairs. He was unconscious for about 5 minutes, then came around but in terrible pain ( he’d broken a rib). Paramedics were fantastic.

48 hours, I had an orthopaedic collapse of my pelvis and couldn't move off the sofa to get food or water or go to the loo. Thank God I'd left the front door open for the postman.it was horrendous. I live on my own and my neighbours don't drive. I had to be stretchered out so a taxi was out.

Myself-9 and a half hours (id pulled my back out and couldn't get out of bed-the doctors told me to phone 999 and get to hospital,it was a waste of time for everyone and certainly not hospital worthy,but they refused to deal with me further)

Mil-5 and a half hours/7 hours (double hernia and was very ill)

The time waster (customer) at work who was bored and wanted some attention-7 minutes because she said the problem was her heart (there was nothing wrong with her,she was just bored and wanted some attention)

My Dad collapsed yesterday at home (fully unconscious, stertorous breathing), and an ambulance arrived within 10 minutes. Rural Norfolk! He was very lucky I think - heart patient. He didn't wake up until he was in A&E.

About 30 minutes for 3yo with laboured breathing (111. I could have driven him myself and would have done if it wasn't so quick)

They do have to prioritise
When my then 16 year old son collapsed at home thankfully they were there in minutes he was in DKA we didn't know he was Diabetic and they saved his life.

Not me, my elderly mum waited 14 hours after a fall. They sent the medic twice but they couldn't take her to hospital. She ended up in for a week, she had covid it turned out and was very unwell..
This wasn't during the pandemic, it was about a year ago.
At least she was at home, I know of a couple of cases where an elderly person had fallen on ice and waited hours in the freezing cold.

About 20 mins when in labour with DS1. He was then born in said ambulance.

About 10 mins when my dad had a heart attack. Straight in an ambulance with an additional team member, to a port, onto a waiting hovercraft (commercial ferry, they're also used in emergencies to very used to it) with said crew, into a waiting ambulance on the other side and into the theatre on the mainland within the hour. Amazing.

4 hours, old lady fell and cut her ankle very badly, her medication meant she was bleeding a lot. I had put a dressing on and another on top, and a third and it was soaking through. I had to alternate with someone else applying pressure as we got tired. We couldnt lift her to transport her ourself.

About 20 mins. My friend called them for me. I believe they came quickly on the basis i was looking after my preschooler and 5 month old and my DH was a couple of hours away.

15 minutes but I was having chest pains and have had a heart attack in the past.

I've never needed one myself but I've rang for other people. One took about 15 minutes and the other about 7 minutes.

A relative needed one pretty recently and it was about 20 minutes (not bleeding or breathing related so not highest priority).

My mum had a brain aneurysm and lay on the floor, with my terrified dad afraid to move her, for almost three hours. She died six days later. She was a fit 71 year old.

The delay was because some drunk was blathering on about killing himself because his girlfriend had finally had enough of his idiocy. He didn’t try, but he was so abusive, it took two ambulances to attend to him.

I wish he knew the pain he caused that night. He was still kicking off in A&E- there was fuck all wrong with him except drink and a temper.

Four hours but my ex drove me in the end. Now that was weird 🙂

I live on the outskirts of London/Essex. Once called 999 and it was the North West ambulance service who answered, there weren’t even people to answer the phones locally, and said ambulances would be up to 12 hours.

Thankfully DC recovered in the time we were waiting.

Five hours. My mum had unknowingly broken her hip and got stuck at the bottom of the stairs. I couldn’t move her as it was agony for her.

25 hours last Nov. The 999 team rang us back every 4 hours to say they hadn't forgotten about us and to check DH wasn't deteriorating further.

No, I couldn't put him in the car or a taxi and drive him to A&E. He was immovable. He suffered life changing injuries as a result of the delay.

4 hours at home, then another 5 hours in the ambulance once we got to hospital. I had cauda equina and couldn't walk, let alone get in the car. Had to have emergency surgery the next day to prevent paralysis.

1 hour 50 minutes for a high priority blue light ambulance for an unconscious adult male with difficulty breathing who I couldn’t move myself. It was horrific.

About five hours when my mum fell and broke her hip

12 hours & 10 hours, so both times the person had to be woken up after the ambulance had been called in daylight.