3 weeks Ago By Isabel Shaw
A MUM-OF-TWO has been left permanently disabled by a stroke after waiting nearly two hours for an ambulance. "We're supposed to act fast, and we got nothing from the emergency services," her partner, Rob Christensen, 63, said. Advertisement 3 Susan Harding has been left disabled after an ambulance took two hours to reach her (Susan pictured post-stroke) Credit: SWNS 3 Doctors have since confirmed the mum suffered a haemorrhagic stroke (Pictured with partner Rob) Credit: SWNS "For the first time, I felt helpless, really helpless.
" Susan Harding, 57, suffered the stroke on December 12, 2024, after returning home from Christmas shopping - and has been in hospital ever since. "She had gone to the toilet, but five minutes later, she still hadn't come out, and then I heard a thump against the bathroom door," Rob, a retired project liaison consultant, explained. "I found Susan collapsed on the floor.
" Advertisement Read more on strokes SHOCK FIND Condition affecting 10 million detected as stroke risk factor in young people BRAIN SHIELD The 17 ways to slash risk of stroke, depression and dementia all at once Rob, who lives in Wiltshire with Susan, recognised the signs - her face had dropped on one side and her speech was slurred -and immediately dialled 999 . But it took one hour and 59 minutes from that first call for an ambulance to arrive, far above the 30-minute average response time for category 2 emergencies. He said: "At 16:59, I called it in, and they asked lots of questions — I told them she was having a stroke.
I also called her eldest son, and he made his way over. "When he arrived, I phoned the ambulance to chase up — about 50 minutes after the initial call — and we had to go through all the same questions again. I couldn't believe the ineptitude.
Advertisement Most read in Health SHOCK FIND Condition affecting 10 million detected as stroke risk factor in young people COSTLY HABIT Teen 'hours from death' with LITRE of liquid trapped in her lung after vaping SLIM WINNER Obese dad sheds 22st after supermarket collapse left him fearing for life ROBO-SURGEONS 11 robot surgery machines approved to perform organ removal in the NHS "We're pacing around, wondering what to do. Do we take her ourselves or wait? "By 18:30, it still hadn't turned up, so I called up again, and they went through the questions again. Millions at risk of 'silent killer' that triggers heart attacks and stroke - as doctors warn it's 3 times more common than feared "I was gobsmacked at the indifference.
"At 18:50, an emergency responder in a car turned up, and then the ambulance finally turned up almost two hours later at 18:58. Advertisement "It was 19:20 before she was finally taken to hospital — by then, the damage was done." Susan was taken 14.
5 miles to the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH Bath). The ambulance service has cited high demand but given no specific reason for the delay. She was put into an induced coma for transfer to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where she underwent surgery to relieve bleeding on her brain.
She remained in a coma for nearly four weeks. Advertisement 3 Rob is now campaigning for real-time reporting of ambulance response times Credit: SWNS Doctors told Rob that she would likely never regain the use of the left side of her body and would need care for the rest of her life. In January, she was moved back to RUH Bath and then on to a local hospital in Chippenham in March to begin rehabilitation.
'Our lives have come to an end' Rob said: "It can take up to 24 months to rehab, but she will need constant physio, and once she's sent home, they can't guarantee what treatment she'll get, if any. Advertisement “I'm going to be caring for someone that basically isn't there - she can't remember things that happened 15 minutes ago. "It's affected her reading and depth of field, and she can't stand on her own.
"When I'm not there, she gets anxious. "It's horrible, and it makes me angry - it feels like our lives have come to an end." Advertisement Rob later contacted his MP and received a reply from the Minister of Health.
He said: "Either it's important to act FAST, or it's not. If it is, why the hell didn't the ambulance didn't turn up within 18 minutes? "We've all seen the act FAST campaigns on TV — I did act fast and it's such a disappointment when it doesn't happen in reality. "It's a lie.
Advertisement "This is 6.5x times the amount of time we should have waited. "You expect better — we've been gravely let down, and you expect some tangible response and not something talking about statistics.
" What are the symptoms of stroke? The FAST method – which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time – is the easiest way to remember the most common symptoms of stroke: F = Face drooping - if one side of a person's face is dropped or numb then ask them to smile, if it's uneven then you should seek help. A = Arm weakness - if one arm is weak or numb then you should ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm drifts downwards then you might need to get help S = Speech difficulty - if a person's speech is slurred then this could be a sign of a stroke T = Time to call 999 - if a person has the signs above then you need to call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US for emergency care.
Other symptoms include: sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body difficulty finding words sudden blurred vision or loss of sight sudden confusion, dizziness or unsteadiness a sudden and severe headache difficulty understanding what others are saying difficulty swallowing A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: "We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Ms Harding for the delay in our response. The delay was unacceptable and falls below the high standards of care we aim to provide. "Delays in our care is not something we want any of our patients to experience, and when a delay does occur, it's taken very seriously.
Advertisement "At the time of Ms Harding becoming unwell in December 2024, our service was under extreme pressure, and our response time was impacted by this. "This demand was further compounded by hospital handover delays and system pressures within the wider NHS and social care. "We continue to work incredibly hard with our partners in the NHS and social care, to do all we can to improve the service that patients receive.
" 'It's like a bereavement' Doctors have since confirmed Susan suffered a haemorrhagic stroke — a bleed on the brain — and lost the use of the left side of her body. Advertisement Rob is now campaigning for real-time reporting of ambulance response times, better triage systems to avoid repeated questioning, and a clear improvement plan the public can track. He said: "If the ambulance had been sitting outside our house with the engine running, she still would have had that stroke, but all that extra bleeding and pressure on her brain, a lot of that wouldn't have happened and she's now going to be permanently disabled for the rest of her life.
Read more on the Scottish Sun SPICE OF LIFE Scotland's best Indian restaurant crowned - see all the winners in your area JOBS BLOW Scots engineering firm 'goes bust as 48 jobs lost' "It's like a bereavement because she's not all there. "It's horrible, and it makes me angry - it's changed our lives." Advertisement When to call 999 for adults and children You should call 999 in life-threatening emergencies.
For adults, this includes: Signs of a heart attack (chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness, squeezing) Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking) Sudden confusion (doesn't know own name) Suicide attempt Severe difficulty breathing (unable to speak, choking, gasping) Choking Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle) Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault) Seizure Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue) For children, this includes: Seizure Choking Difficulty breathing (grunting noises, stomach sucking under rib cage) Unable to stay awake (can't keep eyes open for more than a few seconds) Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips Limp and floppy (head falls to the side, backwards or forwards) Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle) Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault) Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking) Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue) Sudden confusion (agitation, odd behaviour, non-stop crying) Source: NHS.
