North West Ambulance Service is the centre of an investigation into how an elderly man was accidentally locked in an ambulance after the driver clocked off his shift.

The 65-year-old man was locked inside the vehicle at Sharston ambulance station in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester last Tuesday (27/10/09), from 7.15pm to nearly 1am the next morning. The non-emergency ambulance was being used to transport patients to their appointments, according to a Press Association report.

However, the man’s appointment had been cancelled and the ambulance driver was supposed to take him back to his care home in Northenden. He dropped off three other patients, but the alarm was raised when the man failed to return home from his appointment at the usual time of 7.30pm.

Sources say the driver of the ambulance has a good work record and it is thought he simply forgot about the man and locked the ambulance after finishing his shift.

Chief executive of the North West Ambulance Service, Darren Hurrell said:

‘We are taking this extremely seriously and have offered our sincere apologies to the patient and his family. A member of staff has been suspended with immediate effect and the trust has commenced a full investigation.

‘We have met with the patient and family to discuss the matter with them in greater detail and will continue to liaise closely with them throughout this process. All possible steps will be taken to ensure that this never happens again.’

The family of the man who was locked in the vehicle has reportedly said that they do not want ‘a fuss’ made over the incident. The man himself was taken to hospital the next day and has allegedly dismissed the incident as ‘just one of those things’.

© 5r1 Limited 2009