A "terrified" elderly man who was lying on the floor after a fall was told his wait for an ambulance would be seven to 12 hours.
An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said she was heading into The Oval Leisure Centre on Old Chester Road, Bebington, to go swimming when she saw an elderly man lying on the ground surrounded by people. After asking what had happened, staff told the woman the man was walking his dog along the footpath when it pulled and knocked him onto the floor.
It's believed he fell at around 4pm on Tuesday, August 2, and people who came to his aid had called for an ambulance. By the time the eyewitness came out of the leisure centre, the man was still lying on the floor.
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She told The ECHO: "He was walking his dog and the dog pulled him over. He has a suspected broken hip and leg, and can't move. The people with him don't want to move him either just in case.
"When they (the people helping the man) called for an ambulance, they said it would be a seven to 12 hour wait. I asked if I could help or go back to my house and get anything, but he already had blankets on him and people with him.
"He said he was cold as there was no insulation underneath him and that it would be getting dark soon. He looked afraid and terrified."
The woman contacted the local member of parliament, Margret Greenwood, and The ECHO after saying she was "frightened" for the people of Wirral.
She added: "If an elderly man with a possible broken hip isn't a priority, I don't know what is. I understand hospitals are so stretched at the moment, but that's a really long time.
"It could do more damage him being out there, I know it's summer but it still must be cold on the ground. I have got two young children and the thought of not being able to get an ambulance is petrifying.
"I'm frightened for the people of the Wirral if this is the situation we're in. I just hope the man is ok."
A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We understand that waiting for an ambulance can be stressful, and considering the circumstances of this incident, we can understand the concern raised. When someone is calling for a life-threatening emergency, we will prioritise that call and send the next available resource.
"Unfortunately, other non-urgent calls may have to wait longer than we would like. Over the last 18 months we have introduced more clinical staff in our emergency call centres to oversee all those waiting to maintain patient safety.
"They will call patients back to offer medical advice or appropriate pathways to receive medical care and can crucially upgrade the response required if needed. In addition, to give patients as much information as possible, we've been offering estimated times of arrival for more than 12 months in the event they're able to make their own way to the hospital.
"If this is not possible, an ambulance will frequently arrive sooner than advised. We would like to offer the patient our best wishes and swift recovery, and we invite him or his family to contact us if they have any further concerns."
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