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97 Yr old Gran waiting 8 hours for an ambulance with a broken hip!

417 replies

LoveCherryTree · 26/11/2024 20:08

My Gran, 97 years of age, given to this country in World War, paid her taxes and NI all her life. She fell today in her home at 12pm, she has a broken hip, my Father called 999 and it is now 8pm and still no ambulance.
She can’t go to the loo as she can’t get up, my Father who has Parkinson’s and my Uncle, who has throat cancer, both in their 70’s, sitting with her.
This country is broken beyond repair, I even tried to get a private ambulance and they said that it won’t make a difference because all the front line ambulances are sat at the hospital with patients inside because they can’t get them into the hospitals….I despair, so it’s better for my 97 year old Gran to be in agony and wet herself, I just can’t believe it! Anyone know a member of parliament I can talk to about this? I’m utterly disgusted!

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allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 27/11/2024 16:39

@LoveCherryTree poor woman! having to spend 14 hours waiting for assistance is ridiculous!!

Manypaws · 27/11/2024 16:37

@Jaboodyv2 who are you to decide what quality of life is worth living? Perhaps we should introduce assisted dying for ignorant idiots

WearyAuldWumman · 27/11/2024 16:32

ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 16:16

This comment is why I am against assisted dying. There are a lot of people sadly who see nothing wrong with elderly people being killed off a few years early.

Well said.

Jaboodyv2 · 27/11/2024 16:19

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ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 16:16

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This comment is why I am against assisted dying. There are a lot of people sadly who see nothing wrong with elderly people being killed off a few years early.

olderbutwiser · 27/11/2024 16:13

despairnow · 27/11/2024 15:16

They can give morphine in the ambulance

Only if the crew includes a paramedic - most do, but not all, in which case they will only be able to give gas and air, tablet paracetamol or whatever their trust allows them to give.

Jaboodyv2 · 27/11/2024 16:06

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Manypaws · 27/11/2024 15:58

@Jaboodyv2 how the hell did you work that out? What a horrible thing to say? Has no one under 90 ever broken a leg?

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 27/11/2024 15:55

Panama2 · 26/11/2024 21:20

Labour have screwed up NHS in Wales what makes you think it can sort NHS England out

That isn't really fair. The Welsh Government chose to give more money to social care which meant for a long time social care wasn't in such dire straits in Wales as it was in England.

Also need to take into account demographic differences - Wales has an older, poorer and less healthy population than England.

https://www.nhsconfed.org/articles/can-we-make-direct-comparisons-between-nhs-england-and-wales

https://ifs.org.uk/articles/health-spending-protected-more-england-social-services-spending-protected-more-wales

https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/how-much-social-care-does-each-country-fund-draft#:~:text=As%20of%202021%2C%20England%20remains,%C2%A3550%20in%20Northern%20Ireland.

Can we make direct comparisons between the NHS in England and Wales?

Data is drawn upon to make performance comparisons, but other factors must be borne in mind for an accurate picture.

https://www.nhsconfed.org/articles/can-we-make-direct-comparisons-between-nhs-england-and-wales

Crikeyalmighty · 27/11/2024 15:46

@jolies1 that's one reason my 85 year old FIL is moving 180 miles to be closer to us but also in a town with a moderate sized community hospital , walk in injuries unit and modern GP medical centre all on one site, 3 minutes walk away from his bungalow - big ( and not too bad) A&E is 11 miles

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 15:45

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How lovely you are! She is actually very capable and lives on her own and still does her own shopping, she's amazing, but thank you for such a lovely remark, I wish there were more people like you in the world!

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Jaboodyv2 · 27/11/2024 15:27

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Manypaws · 27/11/2024 15:26

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 14:55

I'm afraid she needs a blood transfusion and she does indeed need an operation for the leg, it's not a straight forward brake!

I hope she gets better soon Flowers

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 15:26

luckylavender · 27/11/2024 15:22

My 92 year old Dad was 15 hours earlier this year. Fractured femur. Then some hours in the ambulance, then the corridor. Moved around 3 times in the following day. No locker. Eventually discharged after 3 weeks with no warning. I live over 200 miles away away. He had no clothes, no coat, no key and was in his slippers and PJs. No food in the house and no heating on. February.

Utterly disgusting!

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ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 15:25

@C8H10N4O2 I do understand them.
My comment about private health insurance in the UK was in response to someone else's comment saying people in the UK can choose to have private health insurance at the moment. I am not stupid. I do know how state backed private health insurance schemes work elsewhere.

luckylavender · 27/11/2024 15:22

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 14:39

So, update...she had broken her leg! My 97 year old Gran sat for 10 hours with a broken leg, the ambulance staff told my 73 year old Dad to try and get her to hospital himself, he couldn't even pick her up by himself. If he had tried to move her god knows what sort of mess she could be in now!
She then proceeded to sit in the ambulance for 2 hours and then in the hospital hallway for a further 2 hours, they gave her morphine finally which made her ill so by the time she had any pain relief it was 14 hours after she fell!
I despair!

Edited

My 92 year old Dad was 15 hours earlier this year. Fractured femur. Then some hours in the ambulance, then the corridor. Moved around 3 times in the following day. No locker. Eventually discharged after 3 weeks with no warning. I live over 200 miles away away. He had no clothes, no coat, no key and was in his slippers and PJs. No food in the house and no heating on. February.

C8H10N4O2 · 27/11/2024 15:20

ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 15:10

Read the research. All insurance health schemes spend between 3% and 10% of the overall cost on selling the insurance and managing claims.
Insurance based schemes are better in many countries because they pay more for their healthcare than we do in the UK.
My other comments about private health insurance were based on UK current private health insurance. Because of the existence of the NHS there is no government regulations about ensuring private health insurance for all. So what exists often excludes lots of conditions and can be extremely expensive once you hit 70.

I have read the research, I've worked with various healthcare systems and I've experienced different healthcare systems.

The current UK market is irrelevant as its not set up or designed to provide universal coverage. You don't seem to understand how statebacked insurance models work.

despairnow · 27/11/2024 15:16

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 14:39

So, update...she had broken her leg! My 97 year old Gran sat for 10 hours with a broken leg, the ambulance staff told my 73 year old Dad to try and get her to hospital himself, he couldn't even pick her up by himself. If he had tried to move her god knows what sort of mess she could be in now!
She then proceeded to sit in the ambulance for 2 hours and then in the hospital hallway for a further 2 hours, they gave her morphine finally which made her ill so by the time she had any pain relief it was 14 hours after she fell!
I despair!

Edited

They can give morphine in the ambulance

WearyAuldWumman · 27/11/2024 15:15

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Once you get to that age, come back and give us a more informed opinion.

ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 15:13

My gran had a hip replacement at 94 and carried on for another 3 years. She did need help to go to the toilet and get dressed, but could still walk using a walker and enjoy life.

CarnivoreCam · 27/11/2024 15:11

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ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 15:10

C8H10N4O2 · 27/11/2024 14:59

Which country is this based on? Its completely at odds with my and family members' experiences of living and working under a number of the European insurance based health care models.

Consistently access was better, care was better and coverage of conditions was better. Nor is it the case that chronic conditions are excluded - its not legal to do that under state backed insurance models.

Its not an accident that none of them have gone for the full fat bureaucratic fiefdoms which form "the" NHS.

Read the research. All insurance health schemes spend between 3% and 10% of the overall cost on selling the insurance and managing claims.
Insurance based schemes are better in many countries because they pay more for their healthcare than we do in the UK.
My other comments about private health insurance were based on UK current private health insurance. Because of the existence of the NHS there is no government regulations about ensuring private health insurance for all. So what exists often excludes lots of conditions and can be extremely expensive once you hit 70.

Jaboodyv2 · 27/11/2024 15:06

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C8H10N4O2 · 27/11/2024 14:59

ForRealTurtle · 27/11/2024 11:45

It is not broken.
Health insurance schemes overnight add 3% to 10% to the cost of healthcare even if everything else stayed the same. You need staff to write insurance policies, sell them, marketing, collecting and processing payments, processing claims, and detecting fraud. The 3% cost is based on the most efficient insurance healthcare system, but most cost far more.
You also have co pays or excess to fund. So a £100 excess means you pay for GP visits (private GP consultation usually costs less than this) etc etc.
Insurance schemes benefit the well off and healthy. For those born with chronic issues they can be a nightmare.

Which country is this based on? Its completely at odds with my and family members' experiences of living and working under a number of the European insurance based health care models.

Consistently access was better, care was better and coverage of conditions was better. Nor is it the case that chronic conditions are excluded - its not legal to do that under state backed insurance models.

Its not an accident that none of them have gone for the full fat bureaucratic fiefdoms which form "the" NHS.

LoveCherryTree · 27/11/2024 14:55

I'm afraid she needs a blood transfusion and she does indeed need an operation for the leg, it's not a straight forward brake!

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