Ambulance Response Times

[WickyWain]

Insufficient resources and excessive numbers of people going to A&E who don't need to, or should I say, wouldn't need to if GPs and walk-in centres were open and functioning properly.

100% this. A few weeks ago my 2 year old wasn't well so we tried seeing the GP and ended up getting fobbed off all over the place. We eventually got sent to A&E and after about 8 hours of waiting, a lovely doctor there quickly diagnosed it as a chest infection! This could and should have been done at the GP surgery and not only saved us about 7/8 hours, but more importantly we wouldn't have been wasting time and resources at the A&E.

My dad worked on reception in the radiology department at Warrington hospital before he passed away 2 months ago and he was always saying the amount of unnecessary GP referrals since COVID started was ridiculous.

 

[kaz7]

When i couldnt breathe with covid 111 organised an ambulance but said it wont be priority one , she rang me back in twenty mins to check on me and said we are changing it to cat one and they were here in about ten mins , just as well

Four years ago i broke my shoulder into several bits it turned out , a friend rung 999 as i was on the floor vomiting and dizzy , too painful to move , i was told to get someone to drive me , not available, then can you get a taxi as we cant get to you , i had to get a taxi to the hospital ten miles away

Different experiences

 

[stonerblue]

@mosssideblue firstly I'm glad you're okay. Unfortunately I encountered our ambulance service in the early hours of last Saturday, or rather I didn't but did encounter how frustratingly awful it is.

I went for a drink on Friday night, came home and went to bed. I woke up in the early hours busting to go to the toilet. Nothing. Not a trickle. I was in shock. I do have bph which sometimes makes for a weak flow but nothing like this. I was in agony, increasing by the minute and rang 999, after straining and crying out in pain for some time. After having to go through the call handlers checklist she said, "We're advising waiting times of a minimum of four hours." I told her no way could I wait that long I was in agony, felt dizzy and living alone was scared I might pass out. After much going back and forth and three phone calls they called me a taxi, which although local took ages to get there too and two calls to chase them up. This was just after 5am so no idea how they were so busy.

Missing out the gory hospital details I'm being discharged and waiting for my antibiotics when my phone rang. "Hello, it's the ambulance, we're outside your property now, are you able to make your own way out?" It was 11:30 am!!

Ouch...

 

[paulchapo]

Ouch...

Pretty horrendous mate.

 

[talkativesprout]

I dont bother with 999 now, police dont come out ambulance take a moon and fortunately my house has not been on fire

 

[Bigga]

I know, at least, 7 members of staff quitting the NHS in the very near future going abroad-to-better-standard-of-living in Oz/ New Zealand and one of my colleagues added to that saying she's had enough today. It doesn't help that the 'pay rise' for the demoralised staff was immediately taxed/ clawed back, so people began walking.

There's a HELL OF A LOT of buck passing at the top of the chain, restructuring to cover up the cracks of missing staff at all levels, saddling the remainder to hit Gov targets that are unattainable. There's just not enough of anything and it's not about foreigners/ immigrants; it's about the constant denial of investment in much needed depts.

Your Gov has finally fucked the NHS over. It's got what it's wanted and whilst they remain in power it's just going to get worse.

 

[Hayley Croppers chopper]

The thing I constantly strive to avoid happened to me yesterday.

A long story, but I ended up pushed to the garage floor with my electric wheelchair locked in fwd drive, trying to ride over my legs.

Took 15 mins before wife found me, but with my disability, there is no way I could get up off the floor.

Called 999 and asked for ambulance as they have the correct equipment and expertise to raise people stranded on the floor.

8 hrs, I was told it would be!

Thankfully, my Daughter was nearby and she with her daughter managed to get me to safety.

She later told me that she knew of an old lady who had fallen and broke her pelvis, only to lie there for 12 hrs before attendance arrived . Poor lady died in hospital.

It never used to be like this, what has changed?

The country can’t cope with the size of the population. Its as simple as that. I hope you are ok and recovered.

 

[Marklr]

I slipped on the stairs about 5 years ago and broke my leg in 3 places. I was stuck at the bottom of the stairs with my lower half of my leg bent somewhere underneath me, waiting 4 hours for an ambulance. I was in shock for the first hour or so.

 

[paulchapo]

I dont bother with 999 now, police dont come out ambulance take a moon and fortunately my house has not been on fire

It's pointless if you can get a taxi there you're better off doing so. Of course it's unlikely a taxi driver can save your life if you deteriorate on the way but it's preferable than waiting 4+ hours for an ambulance.

 

[paulchapo]

I slipped on the stairs about 5 years ago and broke my leg in 3 places. I was stuck at the bottom of the stairs with my lower half of my leg bent somewhere underneath me, waiting 4 hours for an ambulance. I was in shock for the first hour or so.

Jesus ...