Queensland ramping crisis leaves 79-year-old waiting three hours for hospital bed

Allen Strip, a 79-year-old with a chronic heart condition, lives just seven minutes from a hospital, but it took more than three hours for an ambulance to get him to a doctor.

A man with a chronic heart condition says he waited for an ambulance for two hours and spent another hour on the ambulance ramp before he was seen by a doctor due to a “concerning” blood clot in his leg.

Allan Strip, 79, is a heart attack survivor and has a condition called atrial fibrillation so when an infection took hold of a cut on his leg and created what looked like a blood clot, his doctor told him to call the Ambulance on March 10.

Allan Strip, 79, waited two hours for an ambulance to pick him up, and then spent another hour on the ambulance ramp. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Mr Strip lives seven-minutes from the Gold Coast University Hospital, but said it took around two hours for an ambulance, which came from Robina Hospital to arrive.

“I’ve been four times recently and every time I’ve called them they have been pretty bloody fast,” Mr Strip said.

“But I just couldn’t believe this one took so long … I’ve only got to cut myself really tiny and the blood comes pouring out, but this time it wasn’t bleeding so what’s happening?”

“I was worried I might get a clot, I told them on the phone I’ve had a heart attack and this leg of mine is not bleeding,” he said.

Mr Strip had surgery on his leg and has thankfully now recovering from the operation.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said “unfortunately, less urgent cases often need to wait longer while we respond to those who need urgent attention.”

“Whilst we are unable to comment on an individual case I can say our Emergency Medical Dispatchers do a fantastic job prioritising those critically unwell patients that need lifesaving treatment immediately, and those who can wait a little longer,” he said.

“QAS continues to collaboratively work with the executive of the Gold Coast Health and Hospital Service to release crews who are experiencing delays at hospitals, increasing paramedic availability to respond to emergency cases in the community.”