Joyce Wood was forced to lay in pain after slipping over at Astbury Lodge Care Home in Great Sutton, Cheshire.
North West Ambulance Service have since apologised to the lengthy wait – admitting the delay was ‘unacceptable’.
The 91-year-old fell on Monday at around 2.20pm – however it took three and a half hours for a rapid response vehicle to arrive.
It then took a further hour and a half before an emergency ambulance finally came to take her to the Chester of Countess Hospital less than five miles away.
Joyce Wood was left lying in pain after falling at the care home where she lives (Picture: Cascade)
Son, Dave Wood, was contacted by concerned staff after his elderly mother’s accident and he rushed to the home to be by her side.
He said: ‘When the ambulance arrived after five hours they were not happy with the service which was provided.
‘The paramedics said the people in suits don’t really know what is going on. They said they couldn’t believe what had happened.
‘She was distressed and her eye was closing up. To my mind a 91-year-old woman who has had a bad fall – five hours is too long to wait.’
Mr Wood said he was grateful he’d been able to get to the care home as staff are not allowed to move an elderly residents after they fall.
He added: ‘The instructions are not to move them. I overruled that after about an hour because I couldn’t leave her on the floor.
‘If I hadn’t had done that it would have been five hours waiting with someone lying on the floor with her, holding her head.
‘People should be aware, even if it does put pressure on the Government or whatever.
‘I honestly thought the response time would be an hour at most for something like that. I just was not aware it was that bad.’
Staff at the home held her head and comforted her (Picture: Google Maps)
A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service said the length of time Mrs Wood had to face was ‘unacceptable’.
They said: ‘The Trust received a phone call at 2.21pm on Monday to an elderly female who had fallen at a residential home in Ellesmere Port.
‘A paramedic arrived at 5.56pm in a rapid response vehicle, followed by an emergency ambulance at 7.16pm which took the patient to hospital.
‘We are extremely sorry for this delay and completely understand that this is an unacceptable length of time to be waiting for an ambulance.
‘On the day of this incident, we were also experiencing challenges with handovers at local hospitals which can also contribute to delays.
‘We hope that the patient is recovering well and wish her all the best.
‘The lady’s family has been in touch with our patient experience team which is now in communication with them and is investigating the incident.’
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