"Four hours wait in ambulance"

Last night i had the unfortunate experience of being at the A&E with my 85 year old mother.Who had become ill in the afternoon,her g.p. said they could not attend to her and to call an ambulance.A paramedic arrived and eventually at 7pm an ambulance arrived.to take her to A&E.I arrived to meet her there eventually being directed to the ambulance she was in after being informed and directed to her that there were 20 ambulance patients waiting outside to be booked in.I was shocked to see all these ambulances waiting.We sat in this ambulance for 2 hours and then told she was being moved to what they termed as jumbalance which are 2 ambulances permanently on site outside A&E and can take 4 people on trolleys.I was told there was no room for me to be with her on this and to wait in reception.an hour later i went to find her as she was due her medication.Mum had asked if i could be with her before this and became a little distressed the paramedic said i could sit with her on the end of the trolley.We waited a further 2 hours she was then moved into a corridor.The Dr had to do their consultation and examination in the corridor.Eventually mum was moved to a bay and tests were done x.ray blood tests,e.c.g.Fortunately my mothers' initial symptoms had subsided she was just very tired and the results of the tests showed she could go home.We witnessed staff arguing over beds, wheel chairs as there weren't enough to go round and we also heard that there were not enough e.c.g.machines that why they were waiting.these surely are the main equipment for an A&E.i felt like we were in a third world country seeing ill people on trollies with drips hanging,in the corridor .The sort of thing you see reported on tv from war torn countries. This experience showed how this is not sustainable.On a positive note all the staff we came in contact were exemplary in dealing with myself and my mum considering they are working in such difficult circumstances.