AN elderly woman was left lying on Tywyn’s High Street for 90 minutes – in extreme discomfort – because there were no ambulances in the area.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has since offered the woman, who had fallen on the pavement, their apologies for the wait she endured, saying they were experiencing a high volume of calls.

The pensioner fell on the pavement near the Spar shop and a concerned tourist, who witnessed the incident told the Cambrian News that it was alarming to see the woman in such discomfort, with her head hanging over a gutter.

The incident coincided with the fact that both local Minor Injuries Units were closed – at Tywyn and at Dolgellau – because of staff shortages and sickness.

This left patients with a trip to either Ysbyty Bronglais in Aberystwyth or Ysbyty Alltwen in Tremadog for medical aid.

The concerned visitor, who did not wish to be named, said: “I can’t believe how little healthcare provision there is, especially in the height of the summer season.

“There’s been so much lost in Tywyn and the surrounding areas, it’s shocking to see how everything has degraded. The poor woman, accompanied by her daughter and son-in-law, was on the street with her head over the gutter for over an hour and a half.

“It’s scandalous, there wasn’t even anyone in the hospital just around the corner to help out.”

There has been no weekend MIU cover in Tywyn Hospital since Easter as the health board has been unable to hire the required number of staff.

Speaking of Dolgellau Hospital only, a Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board spokesperson said: “Due to staff sickness, we were unable to provide a safe minor injuries service at Dolgellau Hospital over the course of the weekend.

“We made the public aware that the nearest Minor Injuries Unit was at Ysbyty Alltwen and that the nearest Emergency Departments were at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth and Wrexham Maelor Hospital, which are open 24/7.

“We are pleased to report that the unit at Dolgellau Hospital will be open this weekend as normal.”

The Cambrian News understands the health board is still pushing its recruitment drive for more staff in Tywyn.See this week's north editions for the full story, in shops and online now