Ambulance called for 10 yard trip

A hospital refused to help an emergency patient parked ten yards from its A&E entrance — and told his friend to call 999 for an ambulance.

A fall at work left garden waste collector Darren Sams unable to move with crippling muscle spasms.

Work pal Mike Russell parked in the bus stop outside St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, and dashed into A&E to get help moving him.



Mike said “A member of staff said no one could move him for insurance reasons. They didn’t even ring an ambulance for me.”

Mike rang 999 and when the ambulance arrived, paramedics had to give Darren, 31, morphine to ease his pain.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust said staff’s first responsibility was to patients inside A&E — and the receptionist followed policy.