An 84-year-old woman claims she was told she would have to wait 18 hours for an ambulance by emergency services phone operators after she fell and broke her leg.
Carla Somma fell over yesterday at her home in Garratt Lane, Wandsworth.
Mrs Somma’s niece, Raffaella Somma, who was with her at the time called 999 for her aunt, but claims she was told her condition was not urgent enough and was directed to call the non-emergency line 111.
But they too said they would not be able to help.
Raffaella said: “I called the GP, no answer. I used the GP surgery app and the automated symptom checker on the app said call 999.
“I called 999 again, this time they said there’s a wait of 18 hours.
“She’s normally very healthy and independent and tried to be stoic about it, but I knew it from her voice she was in pain.”
Raffaella’s daughter took Mrs Somma in a taxi to St George’s hospital in Tooting.
Mrs Somma was admitted with a severe fracture of her femur, near the knee.
Raffaella said: “Staff were brilliant but she was in agony. I’m disgusted with what the Government is doing to the people in the UK through years of deliberate sabotage.
“My poor aunt would have been left at home with a severe fracture, in pain, unable to move and at risk of further injury.
“I want to stress this is not the ambulance staff, nor the hospital nor GPs fault.
“This is entirely a disgraceful political decision to systematically destroy the country. I’m so angry and upset. How can people still continue to vote for this rubbish is beyond me.”
The Department for Health and Social Services, NHS England and the London Ambulance Service have been approached for comment.
Pictured top: Carla Somma living in Streatham (Picture: Raffaella Soma)
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