85-year-old St Albans man William Hilton has been let down yet again by Private Ambulance Service, after waiting a day to be taken home from hospital.

His daughter Tina booked the service for 8am on Saturday, June 17, for a wheelchair-accessible transport and two-person crew to take her dad to his 11am appointment at Watford General Hospital.

Come 8am and no service had arrived. Tina tried calling the company twice, but could not get through.

After telling the hospital her dad would be late and booking a wheelchair-accessible taxi, Tina had to move her dad to his wheelchair on his own.

She said: “Getting dad to his wheelchair at his home was frightening as he is unsteady on his feet and keeps wobbling.

“With the ambulance crew, and their help and knowledge of people handling, getting dad outside is so much easier.”

The transport eventually arrived at 11.15am, but instead of a wheelchair-accessible transport with a two-person crew, it was a people carrier with no wheelchair access, and only one crew member.

Tina was told a computer glitch was to blame, and her dad was put in the taxi.

The fiasco continued when William was discharged from hospital after staying several nights.

A two-member crew was booked to pick him up from Watford hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

When the ambulance still had not arrived by 10pm, both Tina and her sister Linda Rose began fruitlessly ringing the hospital for updates.

At 11.58pm, Tina was told William was on her way home. Then at 12.30am, she was told the transport which had been sent was not suitable for a wheelchair.

It was not until 2.41pm on Wednesday that William was delivered safely home.

She said: “He sounded worn out, very confused and was cross at the transport fiasco.

“My sister and I really feel this is not acceptable, as dad is frail and has dementia and it is not in his best interests, mentally and physically.

“Dad is lucky he has daughters who can chase relevant bodies up. We know other elderly that their offspring do not get involved.

“We really thought things were changing sadly this has proved it has a long way to go.”

Private Ambulance were contacted for comment.