Ref. 29800-9Family distraught as ambulance driver carrying 85-year-old stroke victim doesn't know the way to Swindon's hospital.

A PENSIONER says she had to lead the way for an ambulance carrying her stroke victim mother after the driver got lost between Covingham and the Great Western Hospital.

Pauline Marriner, 62, says a member of the ambulance crew blamed an on-board electronic navigation system, saying it sometimes went "on the blink."

She says the driver told her: "We'd better follow you."

Now Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust has launched an inquiry into the incident.

It is the latest in a series of setbacks for the trust, beginning a year ago when the Commission for Health Improvement levelled a series of criticisms.

Mrs Marriner, of Pembroke Park, Sparcells, had a telephone call from a worried neighbour of Lilian Hodge, 85, on Sunday.

Mrs Marriner said: "It was at about 9.15pm.

"The neighbour said my mother had alerted her by banging on the wall."

Mrs Marriner immediately headed for her mother's home, making a diversion to pick up sister Valerie Franklin, in Purton.

The two arrived in Covingham to find widowed Mrs Hodge, who has four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, in a distressed and confused state.

They called 999 and a rapid-response paramedic was dispatched. The paramedic said an ambulance should be summoned as Mrs Hodge seemed to be deteriorating.

The ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and the three-person crew put Mrs Hodge in a wheelchair and into the vehicle.

The two daughters followed in Mrs Marriner's car and were surprised when the ambulance did not follow signs for the M4 and Marlborough, as the hospital is along that route.

Mrs Marriner said: "They got on to the A419, heading for Cirencester.

"Then they turned off I can't remember exactly where and stopped.

"All they had to do was follow the signs in Covingham for the M4. They were going miles out of their way.

"The man got out of the ambulance, came over to us and said he was sorry but they had gone the wrong way and that he had better follow us."

Mrs Marriner said she then led the ambulance at high speed until they were on Marlborough Road, at which point it sped up and overtook and she realised the crew knew where they were.

At the hospital, Mrs Marriner said doctors diagnosed a possible mini-stroke and ordered tests.

Mrs Hodge is now recovering at home.

Mrs Marriner added: "At the time, we could almost see a funny side to it but what might have happened if my mother's condition had been more serious doesn't bear thinking about."

The trust's chief executive, Tim Skelton, promised a full investigation, adding: "We take matters like this very seriously."

Last March, the Commission For Health Improvement condemned the ambulance trust, citing inadequate radio equipment and allegations of bullying of staff by bosses, although the commission did say staff were committed.

In July it was revealed the trust had consistently failed to meet Government targets for the time taken to reach life-threatening emergencies.

And last October, the Evening Advertiser told the story of Rushey Platt man Sunhil Madhani, who waited more than an hour for an ambulance after suffering a heart attack.

Eventually, an ambulance had to be sent from Chippenham.

The trust said it had been having a busy morning, with people off sick and many calls.

Barrie Hudson