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AMA
Original poster

AMA ambulance emergency call taker

151 replies

iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 21:31

I work as an emergency call taker, any questions?

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:28

Crooklodge · 09/12/2023 21:41

Do you work covering a city/town or rurally?

I cover 4 counties in my call centre, we have quite a large area.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:29

Startyabastard · 09/12/2023 21:47

If you could tell the general public something, what would it be?

Firstly that getting an ambulance to hospital doesn't get you treated quicker when you get to the hospital.
Secondly if you can make your own way it saves the ambulances for the people who genuinely can't make their own way.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:30

GoudaThunkIt · 09/12/2023 21:53

Someone I know was knocked off his bike last week, called the ambulance service and they wouldn’t come to him as they said it wasn’t life threatening. He has to get a taxi with a broken femur (and is now in hospital).

Is it common for ambulance services to do this? We were pretty shocked by it to be honest.

More often and not we have such huge delays that this is what we have to tell people to do if it's possible for them to get there by their own means. We have far more demand than resources especially when the ambulances get stuck at a&e waiting to hand over.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:32

salamirose · 09/12/2023 21:54

How are you? As in are you OK? It must be so stressful.

Oh and thank you.

I'm generally ok, we get to take time out if distressed by any calls and work well supporting each other as a team. There is a big awareness for mental health for the staff where I work and they have mental health practitioners come in for drop in sessions as well as a support line.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:35

somethingisnotquiteright · 09/12/2023 22:01

I had a suspected stroke and was waiting 6 hours for an ambulance. There was no option of driving to a&e.
Realistically, what else would you have suggested? It was a very frightening time and it took 3 months to fully recover.

You must have been feeling very scared and in this case ideally we would have been to you within half an hour. Unfortunately we have such high demand that it causes delays even to the most time critical cases such as yours. If we had magic wants to conjure more ambulance we would do it in an instant. It's hard being on the phones as we get the follow up calls and can't do anything to make the situation better!

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:35

ACynicalDad · 09/12/2023 22:04

What’s the most unusual/embarrassing call you’ve ever taken?

For me it the patient? For me is was being used as a free sex line!

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:36

DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 09/12/2023 22:04

I did this job a few years ago. Best job I ever had and sometimes wish I had stayed at it. I delivered a baby over the phone and they named it after me.

I'm yet to deliver a baby but have had 5 people recover following cpr advice I have given. It's my favourite but also my most gruelling job yet!

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:37

Chocolatepeanutbuttercupsandicecream · 09/12/2023 22:04

What is your educational / employment background? Do you have medical training?

You don't have to have a medical background to go into this job but it does help. I have worked in healthcare in the community so have some knowledge but I learnt a lot throughout my training too.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:39

MadeOfAllWork · 09/12/2023 22:06

Do you get any support after receiving a very distressing call?

I am very lucky to have an amazing team around me. We have a big drive at work to look after our mental health including drop in sessions and a phone line if we need additional support. For me the mental health calls are the hardest as you spend longer on the phone. The cpr calls are usually over quite quick as the crew are dispatched immediately.

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Heyhoherewegoagain · 09/12/2023 23:39

Do you ever wish the ambulance the ambulance call taking/command&control system would “speak” to the ones the other emergency services use?

Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:41

Museum10664 · 09/12/2023 22:06

whats the none emergency examples @iusedtohavechickens and are they common even if its ment for emergencys ?

We get calls for literally everything, including stubbed toes, broken teeth and washing machines that aren't working! Only a small portion of calls are what we class as life threatening emergencies.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:42

HamBone · 09/12/2023 22:07

Roughly what percentage of your calls are “traditional” medical emergencies requiring an ambulance such as a stroke, heart attack, baby arriving quickly? Of the rest, what sort of services do they need (e.g., they’re suffering from a MH crisis, they’re lonely or confused, etc.)?

Edited

I'd say off my calls I receive in a day around 10% off my calls are life threatening emergencies. Mental health is a massive portion of our daily calls as well as taking calls from people for minor things that could be dealt with by a go but appointments are so hard to get that people end up calling us as they don't know what else to do.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:43

FawnFrenchieMum · 09/12/2023 22:07

Are you allowed to deal with calls from someone you know?

Ideally not but if the person you're talking to doesn't know it's you and you feel ok to continue then it can be allowed. I've not experienced this yet though.

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Catswillbecats · 09/12/2023 23:45

Ten years ago there wasn't a law mg wait for an ambulance. What do you think has changed? Funding, lack of paramedics, social issues?

Catswillbecats · 09/12/2023 23:45

That was supposed to say "there wasn't a long wait"

Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:45

peachgreen · 09/12/2023 22:11

Is there any way of tracing a call taker after the fact? My DH died 3 years ago and I still have so much guilt over the way I spoke to the 999 call handler – she was talking me through CPR while I waited for the paramedics who ages to arrive and come in (it was during the first lockdown) and I was shouting at the 999 operator about it. I feel awful for it and I would really love to apologise and thank her.

If you know the date on our system it would be possible. However we know how stressful it is for people when faced with life threatening emergencies and don't hold it against anyone. We will just be glad we were there to support you when you needed it!

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:46

Dymaxion · 09/12/2023 22:32

Do you react differently if a HCP rings ?

The only difference really is that hops tell us the timeframe for the ambulance. We don't treat them any differently otherwise x

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:48

Althenameshavegone · 09/12/2023 22:37

What sort of skills make a good call handler? how do you switch off after dealing with traumatic calls?

Knowing when you need a break is essential and talking to your team when you've had a stressful call. I've found having patience has been my biggest asset. Staying calm, and just being nice helps a lot! We still get people you can never please but we don't give them a second thought after the call is finished. X

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GreigeO · 09/12/2023 23:48

really interesting thread op, thanks!

Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:49

TappingTed · 09/12/2023 22:48

Seems the long wait to have your call answered is part of the role... 🙄

Sorry about the long wait, my daughter woke and needed to be settled back to sleep. X

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:51

Catswillbecats · 09/12/2023 23:45

Ten years ago there wasn't a law mg wait for an ambulance. What do you think has changed? Funding, lack of paramedics, social issues?

In all honesty it's probably a mix of everything, growing population, underfunding, lack of understanding by the younger generations as to when to call the service. The list is endless, we would love to dispatch immediately to everyone but it's just not possible.

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Original poster
iusedtohavechickens · 09/12/2023 23:52

GreigeO · 09/12/2023 23:48

really interesting thread op, thanks!

No problem 😌 going to bed now as have another ten hour shift tomo but will answer more questions in the evening xx

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Blueglazzier · 09/12/2023 23:53

What an amazing job you all do . I recently had covid and I got severe heart pain . I'm old and live alone . I called 111 and they sent an ambulance . The girls wanted me to go with them saying " if you were my mum I wouldn't leave you here alone so poorly " . I was in for 6 hrs and sent home later that evening . Wonderful staff , doctors and paramedics . Thankyou 💕

DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 10/12/2023 00:08

I only remember 2 CPR calls. The first was an old man who woke up and found his wife dead in bed next to him. I strongly suspected on the phone it was futile, but obviously we had to try but unfortunately it didnt work.

The other was a 12 year old girl who's dad electrocuted himself fixing a washing machine. She kept him going until the crew turned until the crew turned up, who managed to get him back. There were more, but those two have stayed with me.

whatwhhat · 10/12/2023 01:02

I gave birth (unexpectedly) at home. The paramedics arrived four minutes before my baby arrived. When told the paramedics arrived, the call handler said goodbye.

Would she have still received her stork badge? I know it sounds silly but I think about it every so often, especially as she basically talked my husband through how to help me give birth 😅 she definitely deserved it.