Woman, 62, who fell in freezing car park helped by strangers during four-hour wait for ambulance

A 62-year-old woman who dislocated her hip in a car park in Grantham was helped by strangers as she waited almost four hours for an ambulance in sub-zero temperatures.

Julie Jackson-Corney, of Leadenham, Lincolnshire, fell to the ground next to her car after she felt her hip come out of its socket, leaving her unable to move from the freezing tarmac until paramedics arrived

Several strangers noticed Ms Jackson-Corney was in need of aid and rushed to her side to provide blankets, duvets, a hot water bottle, and a heater to keep her warm. One of her rescuers called for an ambulance but was warned there would be a wait of up to 15 hours since she was not a priority.

Describing last Tuesday’s incident, the 62-year-old said that by the time paramedics arrived almost four hours later, her temperature had dropped to 34.3C.

“They couldn’t place anything underneath me as I couldn’t move but what they did was amazing,” Ms Jackson-Corney told the Grantham Journal.

“Without their help I am not sure what state I would have been in.”

“I would like to thank them all and tell everyone that in a world that has become so selfish, that selfless, caring, compassionate people still exist.”

Ms Jackson-Corney said the incident occurred after she had taken her dog Alfie to a nearby veterinary surgery. As she lifted him into his car seat, she felt her hip dislocate – something she has experienced twice before.

“I knew exactly what the problem was,” she said. “I shouted and fell to the ground. I couldn’t move.”

A school pupil and a man who were in the car park at the time came rushing over. One phoned the ambulance service while the other checked her dog was secure and brought her a coffee.

Ms Jackson-Corney then called her husband Ged, who, on arrival, also called the ambulance, only to be told again that the wait for medical support could be up to 15 hours.

Lying on the tarmac, the cold “was beginning to take hold”, Ms Jackson-Corney said.

Other helpers who arrived at the scene began to take turns phoning the ambulance service, and Ms Jackson-Corney said she was eventually elevated to a category two priority.

A category two response covers serious conditions such as stroke or chest pain, which may require rapid assessment and/or urgent transport.

“I am so grateful to them all and wish I could thank everyone of them personally,” she said of her rescuers.

Neil Scott, head of operations for Lincolnshire at East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We are sorry that we were unable to get to the patient sooner on this occasion and I recognise the distress this will have caused them.

“Every 999 call is assessed based on the information provided by the caller and people experiencing a life-threatening emergency such as a cardiac arrest or breathing difficulties have to be seen first.

“We have asked to speak to the patient, so we can fully investigate their experience with us and respond to them in full.”

The health and care system in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire - which includes East Midlands ambulance service - declared a critical incident on Tuesday, the day before paramedic strikes began across England and Wales.