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| OAP's three hour ambulance wait | OAP's three hour ambulance wait |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An injured pensioner left waiting in agony for more than three hours before she was taken to hospital, has won an apology from the ambulance service. | An injured pensioner left waiting in agony for more than three hours before she was taken to hospital, has won an apology from the ambulance service. |
| Olwyn Wonnacot, 81, broke her arm after tripping at home but was forced to wait even though she lives close by Cardiff's university hospital. | Olwyn Wonnacot, 81, broke her arm after tripping at home but was forced to wait even though she lives close by Cardiff's university hospital. |
| Her family called an ambulance and one from Pontypridd - 10 miles away - eventually arrived first. | Her family called an ambulance and one from Pontypridd - 10 miles away - eventually arrived first. |
| The Welsh Ambulance Service said it would look into any official complaint. | The Welsh Ambulance Service said it would look into any official complaint. |
| Mrs Wonnacot, who has had a stroke and also broke her arm last year, said she was in too much pain to go to hospital in a car with her relatives. | Mrs Wonnacot, who has had a stroke and also broke her arm last year, said she was in too much pain to go to hospital in a car with her relatives. |
| She explained how, after tripping on her way to the bathroom, she managed to pull down the phone from her kitchen worktop using a stick and then phoned her daughter, Sandra John. | She explained how, after tripping on her way to the bathroom, she managed to pull down the phone from her kitchen worktop using a stick and then phoned her daughter, Sandra John. |
| When I had a stroke last year they were there in about five minutes. It was a lot different this time Olwyn Wonnacot | When I had a stroke last year they were there in about five minutes. It was a lot different this time Olwyn Wonnacot |
| She also lives in the Heath area of Cardiff, close to the University Hospital of Wales, Wales' largest. | She also lives in the Heath area of Cardiff, close to the University Hospital of Wales, Wales' largest. |
| Mrs John went to her mother's aid and called her son to help but they could not move Mrs Wonnacot. | Mrs John went to her mother's aid and called her son to help but they could not move Mrs Wonnacot. |
| An ambulance was called but paramedics did not arrive for three hours in the incident on 7 September. | An ambulance was called but paramedics did not arrive for three hours in the incident on 7 September. |
| "I couldn't move because I was in so much pain," Mrs Wonnacot said. "They were afraid to touch me or move me. I tried to move myself but I just couldn't. | "I couldn't move because I was in so much pain," Mrs Wonnacot said. "They were afraid to touch me or move me. I tried to move myself but I just couldn't. |
| "It wasn't a very nice experience. | "It wasn't a very nice experience. |
| She said another pensioner in her position may not have had help on hand. | |
| "How would they have managed all those hours on their own? It was bad enough for me with company, but someone on their own would have been far worse, wouldn't they?" | |
| A Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust spokeswoman said: "The trust would like to apologise to the patient and her family for any distress caused. | A Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust spokeswoman said: "The trust would like to apologise to the patient and her family for any distress caused. |
| "There has not been an official complaint from the patient, but should they do so, we will look into the matter accordingly." | "There has not been an official complaint from the patient, but should they do so, we will look into the matter accordingly." |