A young footballer who suffered a suspected spinal injury waited five hours in the rain for an ambulance to arrive. The incident happened on Saturday, October 15 at the ground of Caerau Ely FC in Cardiff during an Ardal Leagues South West fixture between the club and Cefn Cribwr FC, a side based in Bridgend.
It is understood that a Cefn Cribwr FC player was unable to leave the pitch following the injury and an ambulance was called at around 4.15pm. He was placed on a stretcher by medical staff, with his head and neck supported as they waited for paramedics to arrive.
However, an ambulance did not turn up until around 9.15pm, by which time it was dark and the player had been lying on the field for five hours - at times in the pouring rain and covered only by a make-shift shelter made of blankets, jackets and an umbrella. The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed that the significant delay in reaching him was caused by their vehicles being stuck outside hospital emergency departments.
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During the lengthy wait a spokesperson from Cefn Cribwr FC said the player was made as comfortable as possible, while players and staff were kept warm and given hot refreshments. In a statement they also praised the ambulance service, and other NHS staff, for providing an "incredible service" against huge pressures.
The full statement reads: "On Saturday, October 15, [the player] suffered a suspected spinal injury during Cefn Cribwr's FC's Ardal Leagues South West fixture vs Caerau Ely FC. The incident left [the player] unable to leave the field of play, and staff from both clubs manoeuvred him onto a stretcher and supported his head and neck as we awaited the arrival of an ambulance.
"We would once again like to put on record our most sincere thanks to the staff at Caerau Ely who went above and beyond to ensure that he was as comfortable as possible and that Cefn Cribwr's staff were given hot refreshments and cover from the adverse weather conditions as they waited for the ambulance crew to arrive.
"[The player] was eventually taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where a CT scan thankfully showed no sign of serious injury to his neck or spine. He was discharged from hospital and is now on the road to recovery. We would also like to put on record our appreciation for the Welsh Ambulance Service who along with our NHS provide an incredible service to the public under immense pressure. Our heartfelt thanks also go out to those who have wished [the player] well in his recovery, from the footballing community and beyond."
Handover delays outside A&E departments are having a major impact on the time it's taking ambulance crews to reach patients in the community. This is coupled with record-breaking numbers of 999 calls categorised as red, the most seriously life-threatening. It inevitably leads to those not classified as red waiting unacceptably long times for paramedics to reach them.
In response Judith Bryce, assistant director of operations at the Welsh Ambulance Service said: "We apologise to [the player] and everyone affected by the long delay experienced yesterday evening. This is certainly not the level of service we hope to provide.
"When the call was received shortly after 4.15pm, all our Cardiff and Vale resources were committed and waiting outside emergency departments. Prolonged handover delays are sadly a recurring issue that we continue to work on resolving in partnership with Welsh Government and health boards.
"We are, however, pleased to see that [the player] is well. We wish him a speedy recovery and would invite him to contact the Trust directly if he wishes to discuss his experience in more detail."
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