PENSIONER Teresa Short knows what it's like to wait for an ambulance.

After being treated at a Wigan Infirmary clinic for a broken knee-cap, the 82 year old Atherton woman (pictured) had to wait 10 HOURS for an ambulance to take her home.

And then she says it took an hour to get from Wigan to Atherton!

"It was 1.30pm when I started waiting and 11.45pm when an ambulance eventually came for me to go home. It was 12.40am when I got home to go to bed," said Teresa.

Now she's complained to her MP Lawrence Cunliffe who's taken her case straight to the top.

On Monday, Mr Cunliffe confronted Health Secretary Frank Dobson with Teresa's story and cancer patient Constance Ball's earlier complaint in last week's Journal.

But Teresa stressed: "The nurses at the infirmary were lovely. They kept bringing cups of tea and sandwiches.

"And they kept contacting the ambulance people every half an hour.

"But it was uncomfortable waiting that long and the journey home wasn't much better.

"It's not fair being messed around when you get to my age."

Lawrence Cunliffe was already looking in to Mrs Ball's wait for an ambulance to take her to a cancer clinic.

Mrs Ball, of Norley Road, Leigh told The Journal last week about her ordeal after complaining to the NHS Trust when an ambulance collected her almost two hours after it was due to take her to Leigh Infirmary.

"I wish to make it quite clear this is not a criticism in any way of the drivers who are always helpful and proficient."

Mrs Ball has received assurances from the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service that a full investigation will be carried out.

Mr Cunliffe said the two situations were appalling.

"I've now asked Frank Dobson to personally review GMAS and to put in place an investigation of their handling of these two specific cases.

"This can't be allowed to go on." Explaining Mrs Short's wait, a Greater Manchester Ambulance Service spokesperson told The Journal:

"The non-emergency Patient transport Service (PTS) received a request on February 29 to take Teresa Short for a routine out patient appointment at Wigan Infirmary by her GP. The booking was made at 9.40am and the patient was delivered to hospital by 11.20am.

"A return journey had been booked by the GP but was cancelled by the hospital at 2.40pm. A further request was made by the hospital at 3.30pm.

"All non-emergency PTS vehicles were busy with pre-planned journeys and the first available space was with the out-of-hours service which provides non-emergency transport over a 24 hour period.

"During this time there was a particularly high level of activity and priority is given to those patients whose mobility is poor.

"In most cases the PTS ambulance will take a number of seated patients to reduce waiting times in hospitals. At this time the PTS was moving a number of stretcher patients who have to travel on their own in the ambulance.

"Mrs Short was taken home at 11.20pm. The ambulance was not a dedicated vehicle but was shared, resulting in a longer journey time.

"The service accepts that this was a long delay and apologises for any inconvenience caused. No complaint has been made directly to the service which is happy to answer any queries Mrs Short may have."

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