Mum's worry over '˜lost' help

A Kirkby mum has voiced her concern after she says she saw two 'lost' ambulances this month which she believes were trying to access her estate.
Leanne Albon who lives Pennyroyal Way, Kirkby in Ashfield is concerned as ambulances have problems finding her estate and end up on the street behind them which is a twenty minute drive away. Picture: Sarah Washbourn / www.yellowbellyphotos.comLeanne Albon who lives Pennyroyal Way, Kirkby in Ashfield is concerned as ambulances have problems finding her estate and end up on the street behind them which is a twenty minute drive away. Picture: Sarah Washbourn / www.yellowbellyphotos.com
Leanne Albon who lives Pennyroyal Way, Kirkby in Ashfield is concerned as ambulances have problems finding her estate and end up on the street behind them which is a twenty minute drive away. Picture: Sarah Washbourn / www.yellowbellyphotos.com

Leanne Albon, aged 39, a teaching assistant at Annesley Primary School, lives on the Great Portland Park Estate in Kirkby, which is only accessible by one street.

Leanne, who lives on Pennyroyal Way with her three-year-old son, backs on to a Lindleys Lane, where she sees the “lost” ambulances.

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She said she was first alarmed three years ago, when an ambulance took 50 minutes to reach her house after her friend started having chest pains.

After seeing the lost ambulance, her partner had to lead it into the estate.

Leanne said: “I was assured three years ago by the ambulance service that there were now notes on the system to prevent this happening again. But, this is not the case.

“I have already witnessed two this month. I know other people have also complained and nothing has been done.

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“The next step was to go to the Chad before someone loses a life due to the long wait.

“I am worried about my son needing an ambulance and it not coming in time. ”

East Midlands Ambulance Service said that over the last five years, when Leanne’s house was built, there have been no patient safety incidents linked to sat-nav systems on the estate.

Greg Cox, paramedic and general manager for Nottinghamshire, said: “Ambulances are fitted with an integrated navigation system, a local area map and a tracking system which allows our control room to give instructions to the crew.

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“Our patient experience team has worked with residents of the estate to assist our crews with accessing the estate in an emergency.

“A virtual flag has been placed on every property on the estate which means crews will receive additional directions if they are sent to an emergency call in the estate, to help them reach the patient as quickly as possible.”

Leanne has said that this must have been a recent measure as she saw a lost ambulance very recently.