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Original poster

This is so sad ( ambulance delays)

90 replies

Ratched · 16/06/2022 05:55

Read this earlier and thought how terrible to be so aware that no one was coming to help in time....

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61791151

OP posts:
shootme69 · 17/06/2022 12:35

All community hospitals around us are shut, these were places that the eldery got sent so that they weren't blocking beds. It meant that my grandmother could walk to visit my grandfather in hospital daily, now it would involve a 2 hour round trip by car, goodness knows how long by public transport.

When I was in hospital in 2010 one third of the beds on the ward were occupied by people who did not need to be there but there was nowhere else for them to go.

LongLiveLiz · 17/06/2022 13:16

My SIL collapsed unable to breathe and my BIL was told 3 hours for an ambulance. He managed to get her in the car with the help of a neighbour and she arrested en route to the hospital. They managed to revive her but she died the following day. She was 46.

A580Hojas · 17/06/2022 13:24

My mother (90 and very limited mobility) was discharged from hospital with a follow-up appointment - for a cystoscopy, nothing too complicated - at another hospital 25 miles away from her home. There doesn't seem to be such a thing as patient transport any more so she was taken by ambulance ... shocking waste of resources.

Horsemad · 17/06/2022 13:29

What's happened to all the Community First Responders that lots of ambulance trusts used to use?
They could have attended, taken OBS and escalated to the ambulance service.

The PP who mentioned firefighters who are paramedics; they do have similar in the UK - not paramedic but in Lincolnshire, their firefighters do trauma first aid courses and are often called out to cardiac arrest, heart attacks, etc like the Community First Responders.

I would echo PP who have said if you can get the person to hospital, then do so. Don't wait for an ambulance.

SingleMomIreland · 17/06/2022 20:32

Twinklestar1 · 16/06/2022 07:55

As a 999 call handler who takes these kind of repeat calls, this breaks my heart. I would urge anyone who can physically get themselves / family to hospital then to go, get a taxi, take the car so we can attend to these genuine emergencies.
There are so many misconceptions about ambulances, if you ring for a stupid reason like a stubbed toe you will not get an ambulance. A lot of problems come from people ramping up symptoms, as a call taker I can only go off what the person is telling me.
I took a call recently from a carer with a patient who had back pain, they were awaiting a call back from a clinician when amazingly an hour later I took a call from the same carer. Said the patient wasn't breathing. Pretended to do CPR. Actually pretended to do CPR. Worst call as a call taker... 3 ambulances that could have actually been saving lives like this poor man's were sent. She was left at home with instructions to contact the GP. Disgusting.
We are under so much pressure at the moment but people do need to take some responsibility for themselves and get themselves to hospital if possible, in our trust ambulances are queuing for hours to offload patients. You will not be seen quicker in hospital if you arrive via ambulance either.

Genuine question, and not trying to be argumentative....but why were 3 ambulances sent? Why can't one attend, and if help is needed lifting a patient the fire service present themselves too?
I've always wondered.
That would free up 2 ambulances immediately, even without the one that's wasted on an appalling abusive of the system.

nocoolnamesleft · 17/06/2022 21:10

111 doesn't bloody help. On several occasions I've had to beg them not to send an unnecessary ambulance when it's been a problem that could clearly be managed by an OOH GP appointment.

LaQuern · 17/06/2022 21:19

QuidditchThroughtheAges · 16/06/2022 06:51

The problem (where I used to work) is that people call the ambulance service for all sorts of stupid things a shirt and not definitive list of things people called an ambulance for On a very regular basis;

Toe pain at 3am
Batteries dead in tv remote
Wanted a dna test
Had an appointment at the hospital thought we were a taxi
Didn't have any paracetamol.

We had to go to every job as though it was life threatening because they said they had shortness of breath. Plus every time we ghastly to go to a call like that we weren't dealing with a patient who had a life threatening illness or accident.

Then you get to a&e and because elderly people are waiting for a package of care and the social care system is stretched be use they don't pay carers much and lots of leaving because Aldi pays more, there isn't the staff to put in the car package. So they're stuck in hospital 'blocking' a bed and you're waiting in an ambulance outside the hospital.

It's a domino effect.

Stop people calling for stupid reasons and sort out the social care system.

I'm no longer a paramedic, I'm now a nurse and it's not much better tbh

why we're ambulances sent out to those jobs?
It's the call takers / dispatchers job to filter out the nonsense and tell them to sod off or get in a cab surely?

EgonSpengler2020 · 17/06/2022 21:29

The problem is not inappropriate calls, we can't even get to the highest category appropriate calls in am acceptable time at the moment.

The problem does not lie with the ambulance services, or A&E and largely not with the district general hospitals, which are simply bed blocked and overflowing with patients that should have been discharged weeks ago, and failed discharges returning when they've turned up on their neighbours footsteps hungry having not eaten for 3 days because the carers they were promised never arrived.

The problem is a lack of social care, residential care and community hospitals. We need to start paying and treating social carers, who are predominantly female, properly. We need to bring them on to NHS terms and conditions and pay bands, and make it an appealing job option, and a proper stepping stone into a healthcare career.

Babyroobs · 17/06/2022 21:33

My friends elderly dad had a fall on his patio a few days ago. he waited six hours for an ambulance, six hours on hard slabs. he is now in hospital confused and agitated.

JaffavsCookie · 17/06/2022 21:38

Can i add the counter argument to all this inefficiency
story condensed for readability
DH out very rurally
has suspected heart attack
rings 999
ambulance there within 5 mins
ECG roadside
air ambulance mobilised
in cardiac cath lab with 30 mins of first phone call
life saved
cheers NHS

need to name change after this as

Bunnyfuller · 17/06/2022 21:43

In 2019 I had a massive heart attack. My symptoms weren’t obvious. I was a CAT 2 call with a very nonchalant paramedic. The cat changed quickly as soon as they knew what was going on. I was v rural. Also the middle of the night.

fast forward to mow: I would be dead

STOP VOTING TORY

EgonSpengler2020 · 17/06/2022 21:49

Bunnyfuller · 17/06/2022 21:43

In 2019 I had a massive heart attack. My symptoms weren’t obvious. I was a CAT 2 call with a very nonchalant paramedic. The cat changed quickly as soon as they knew what was going on. I was v rural. Also the middle of the night.

fast forward to mow: I would be dead

STOP VOTING TORY

I'm not a Tory voter, but I work in the Welsh NHS and ambulances delays have been a big problem here for over a decade, whilst they are only just getting going in England. We are governed by Welsh labour. A quick Google suggests the same problem in Scotland.

This issue is beyond party politics, it needs massive reform to sort it out. I don't think the way the Tory's are trying to sort it out is the correct way, but I'm not sure anyone really knows what is, and that is that problem.

headstone · 17/06/2022 21:50

It’s a tragic case. No ambulances available and no family he rely on.

nocoolnamesleft · 17/06/2022 21:53

EgonSpengler2020 · 17/06/2022 21:29

The problem is not inappropriate calls, we can't even get to the highest category appropriate calls in am acceptable time at the moment.

The problem does not lie with the ambulance services, or A&E and largely not with the district general hospitals, which are simply bed blocked and overflowing with patients that should have been discharged weeks ago, and failed discharges returning when they've turned up on their neighbours footsteps hungry having not eaten for 3 days because the carers they were promised never arrived.

The problem is a lack of social care, residential care and community hospitals. We need to start paying and treating social carers, who are predominantly female, properly. We need to bring them on to NHS terms and conditions and pay bands, and make it an appealing job option, and a proper stepping stone into a healthcare career.

It is true that we desperately need to properly fund and staff health and social care. I've worked in the NHS for 25 years. I saw the horrors of the 90s. I saw the improvements in the noughties. And I've seen it falling apart again since the Tories have had a choke hold on funding.

iwishiwasafish · 17/06/2022 21:53

The problem is a lack of social care, residential care and community hospitals. We need to start paying and treating social carers, who are predominantly female, properly. We need to bring them on to NHS terms and conditions and pay bands, and make it an appealing job option, and a proper stepping stone into a healthcare career.

I totally agree with this.

As a happier story though, we were very lucky when elderly father had a fall and broke his hip a few months ago. Ambulance attended within 10 min, even though we were told they were busy and it would be over an hour.

Fraidwo1 · 17/06/2022 21:57

Dp recently had to stay in hospital for suspected sepsis. They didn’t have any ambulances available, it was 1am, we had a toddler in bed and I don’t drive. I was told I absolutely had to get him to hospital immediately as he was only semi-conscious and appeared to be seriously unwell. I was lucky to get a taxi for him. I told the taxi service about the situation and the very kind driver helped get him into hospital for me (he had to literally walk him into A&E).

user1471453601 · 17/06/2022 22:01

@QuidditchThroughtheAges , you are mistaken if you think the problem is related only to silly calls and "bed blockers" .

The problem is that t NHS has been chronically deliberately underfunded for 12 years. It's easier to sell it off if it's not working, sadly

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 17/06/2022 22:14

Two weeks ago my friend and I sat with my neighbours after the wife collapsed. My friend and the husband lifted her on the bed where she lay struggling to breathe and drifting in and out of consciousness. We put a sheet over her lower half and kept the door and windows open and a fan on her as she was sweating profusely. We were told that there was a three hour wait for an ambulance so to take in the car! We couldn't move her safely and so we waited. For four hours. The ambulance came and blue lighted her to hospital. The paramedics told us that she was the first sick patient that they had dealt with on their shift - every other call had been for drunks and fights.

mmmmmmghturep · 17/06/2022 22:55

A local taxi company had over fifty drivers Post lockdowns they have nineteen. So stop suggesting taxis as the default setting Especially if you were for the lockdowns

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 17/06/2022 23:08

Fuckitydoodah · 16/06/2022 06:45

I've just read this. Heartbreaking. Poor man knowing it was probably too late and so awful for his family knowing what he went through.

You always believe that if you are seriously unwell an ambulance will come. It is terrifying to think that isn't the case anymore. It's all very well saying get someone to drive or get a taxi. In a lot of cases that just isn't possible. Have you tried lifting a fully grown adult off the floor?

My 79 year old dad had a suspected broken hip earlier this year. He was in too much pain to move and could not weight bear. The ambulance arrived after 10 hours.

I agree and not only that but not everyone has or has access to a car nor the funds for a taxi.

Wasn't he marvelous for 94. I'd have 65 at the very oldest.

Bubbles2022 · 17/06/2022 23:10

It's really bad.

I called 111 2 months ago with stomach pains. They told me I needed an ambulance but there was a 6 hour wait.

I made my own way to A&E in a taxi. To be told I had a stomach bug and to go home. It was nearly 12 hours before I was seen too. Which I spent on the floor of the hospital vomiting and begging for pain relief.

I had a scan....10 minutes later I was heading down for surgery with a burst appendix & torn bowels. The surgeon said I was about an hour away from death. I was in surgery for 6 hours.

If I'd have gone home. Id be dead. The nhs is on its ass.

Kedece2410 · 17/06/2022 23:15

I'm a Police Despatcher & its shocking how often cops have to convey people to hospital. One of these days someone is going to be permanently injured or killed as a result. The ambulance service are becoming more & more reliant on trying to get us to pick up the slack & its just not doable.

QuidditchThroughtheAges · 17/06/2022 23:16

@LaQuern as soon as they say 'I've got shortness of breath' they had to send an ambulance to those jobs

Yourinmyspot · 17/06/2022 23:16

It’s awful at the moment. My DH works for the ambulance service and spent 8 hours waiting outside A&E one shift last week, and this is not unusual. There are often around 6 or more ambulances waiting which then means they aren’t available for other calls.

Hardbackwriter · 17/06/2022 23:29

mmmmmmghturep · 17/06/2022 22:55

A local taxi company had over fifty drivers Post lockdowns they have nineteen. So stop suggesting taxis as the default setting Especially if you were for the lockdowns

I was thinking that - I (thankfully) haven't had cause to call an ambulance but I've tried to call a taxi three times in the last few months and each time it's been endless calling around to be told that's nothing available for hours, so I wouldn't be all that confident in that option being there either.