SOME obese patients have had to wait up to a week to be discharged from the region’s hospitals because it is claimed there are not enough vehicles large enough to take them home.

Such incidents have prompted a private company to buy two super-size ambulances at a total cost of £140,000.

Wayne Hall, managing director of Medical Services Group (North-East), says the two specially-converted Peugeot bariatric ambulances can carry patients who weigh more than 25 stones.

Although the North-East Ambulance Service says it has two dedicated bariatric ambulances, and is “satisfied that we have sufficient high-quality vehicles and equipment to meet the needs of local bariatric patients” Mr Hall is gambling on the investment paying off with an increase in contract work from the NHS.

The company based in Bowburn , County Durham, already has a regular ambulance contract with The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, and the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton , and also supplies ambulances on demand to other NHS hospitals.

But a surge in the number of requests for help with very large patients has prompted the latest move.

Mr Hall said: “Hospitals needing transport for very large patients often need to give the ambulance service three or four days notice.

“In some cases, patients have had to wait for a week for an NHS ambulance.”

This was confirmed by Denise Elgie, a senior back care advisor from the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust.

She was attending a special training day at the Medical Services (North-East) headquarters and told The Northern Echo: “I am aware that a bariatric patient has waited for transport for a week.”

Also at the event was 33-stone bariatric patient advocate, Tracey Carr, 45, from Bolton.

Miss Carr, who put on a lot of weight after her partner died, answered questions, explained what it was like to be an obese person and allowed herself to be used as a live demonstration model so staff could practise handling techniques.

Staff used an inflatable device to lift Miss Carr on a cushion of air to transfer her to a large reinforced stretcher.

The stretcher was then hauled up a ramp and into the cavernous interior by a built-in power winch which can pull up to a ton in weight.

Miss Carr, who runs her own website, fatlotsheknows.com.uk, said: “There’s a lot of guilt associated with being large and a lot of fear that people will hurt themselves helping us.”

She appealed for people to show more compassion towards very large patients.