Northland man Charlie Guy (inset) was immobilised with back pain for four hours while he waited for an ambulance. Photo / NZME, Supplied
A Northlander immobilised by back pain waited an agonising four hours for an ambulance because his condition was serious but not life-threatening.
Charlie Guy, from Kerikeri, received help from a paramedic and doctor who happened to be in the area after his mother put a call out on social media.
Those involved say the incident highlighted the strain on health services in Northland.
Hato Hone St John said all ambulances in the district were committed to other callouts at the time and it must prioritise patients in immediately life-threatening conditions.
Guy, a tiler, said the incident began at about midday on March 13 when he felt something in his back go as he went to pick up a tool.
The pain dropped him to his knees and he feared his body would lock up.
He was unable to ring for help as there was no cellphone reception at the job, so he used a broom as a makeshift crutch to reach his vehicle and drove slowly home.
Once at his rural Kerikeri home, as he swivelled in his car seat to put his feet down, the back pain struck and his feet couldn’t bear his weight.
“It felt like the body was being pulled apart, it was just excruciating. I just had to fall back into the car.”
Guy’s wife called 111 for an ambulance, with the first call taken by St John at 2.09pm.
She got some pillows so Guy could lie back over the centre console of his vehicle as they waited for the ambulance.
While waiting, they kept in contact with St John, who could not say when an ambulance would be available.
After three hours, Guy’s mother Olive Guy was astounded to hear her son was still stuck in his vehicle and put a call out on social media.
Northland independent paramedic Simon Townsend, who happened to be in Kerikeri running an advanced care course with a doctor and other clinicians, saw the post and arrived with the group within 10 minutes.
Townsend said Guy was in severe pain and needed hospital care.
At that point, it was not known if moving him from the car, as suggested on social media, would have caused further damage or paralysis.
Townsend said the situation was the perfect example of why Northlanders needed to take first aid courses run by trained paramedics.
The clinicians used their experience to get Guy safely out of his vehicle. An ambulance arrived while they were still there and all worked together to get him into the ambulance.
Townsend said people still needed to call 111 in an emergency, or 1737 in a mental health crisis, but those with good first aid training provided another layer of help.
Hato Hone St John Te Tai Tokerau district operations manager Ben Lockie said when the first 111 call was received at 2.09pm, it was determined that Guy was in a serious but not life-threatening condition and an ambulance would be sent when one became available.
All ambulances in the district were committed to other callouts at the time, and patients without immediately life-threatening conditions may wait longer for an ambulance when demand is high, he said.
“Hato Hone St John takes patient welfare very seriously and we try to respond as soon as possible, with immediately life-threatening calls given the highest priority.”
The ambulance arrived at 6.14pm, when Guy was treated and taken to Bay of Islands Hospital in a moderate condition, Lockie said.
During Guy’s wait for an ambulance, his family was given advice on pain relief and how to help him feel more comfortable. They were encouraged to get in touch directly if they had a complaint, he said.
Demand for Hato Hone St John’s emergency service grew year-on-year, with 33,300 incidents in Northland in 2025, up 2% from 2024 and 22% from 2020, Lockie said.
Where appropriate, people were encouraged to seek care through other available healthcare options to ensure ambulances could respond quickly to those needing urgent, life-saving treatment, he said.
Guy’s ordeal continued at Bay of Islands Hospital. He felt clinicians tried to force him to leave that night before he was ready, causing more pain.
He was also concerned that no transport was available, as it was after midnight and his wife was home asleep with their young children, aged 5 months and 3.
Health NZ apologised for Guy feeling pressured to return home sooner than he was able and if communication was unclear.
Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau group director of operations Alex Pimm spoke with Guy and will progress a formal complaint investigation at his request.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.