Why are 999 call handlers like this?

[NotADailyMailJournalist]

Hello

I came across a man collapsed and bleeding heavily from a head wound in the street today. Literally a thick puddle of blood. I slammed a folded, fabric shopping bag on the wound to stem the bleeding.

Me: Hello, I've found a collapsed male, conscious but with heavy bleeding
Call Handler: what age is he? Do you know his name? Did you see him fall?
Me: 60-ish maybe, not sure on name, Davie he says, maybe, no I didn't see it happen. Is the ambulance on its way?
Call Handler: YOU NEED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO ME! Further questions about when did this happen etc etc.
Me: he's very distressed, can I tell him the ambulance is coming?
Call Handler: FINALLY says ambulance is on way.

Speaking to friends, they say this is common. Why can't the call handler just say "it's ok, ambulance is on way, answer these questions in the meantime"?

Thanks

Someone has doubtless said this above but:

• the call taker does not “send” the ambulance. They put the info into the computer and a separate dispatcher sends the ambulance. The call taker does not always know if an ambulance has already been dispatched or not, or even if one is available.

• call takers are audited on whether they have followed The Script or not and can be fired if they don’t follow the script. They will keep following it come what may.

You’re not having a conversation with a clinician, you are answering a preset list of list of questions being asked by some of the lowest-paid NHS workers with some of the highest staff turnover.

Believe me, if the NHS could automate the whole thing they would.

Thank you for doing this job and for explaining

Can't help but feel that some of the responses are this thread seem to be contradictory. "Highly-trained experts" would presumably be able to deviate from the script somewhat.

I do wonder if actually they aren't telling ppl they've dispatched an ambulance/police etc to make sure the caller doesn't say ' ok, well the professionals will be here soon so I'll leave' and stays on the line and stays part of the process until the emergency services can physically take out.
It is definitely different however, when it's someone you care about and I'm sorry you had to go through that.

An old paramedic friend talked about how rare it is for ppl to do anything past calling 999.
Even performing cpr when asked for by the 999 operator, (it may be different now) and said more often than not its because they think they'll make it worse so they want to wait for someone more qualified to come alone, which is 🤯.
I know someone who saw a van swerve on a country road, hit a tree, van set on fire at night. She was the only one for miles, ended up calling 999, dragging him out (he was triple her size and damaged her back so bad its still an issue after 3 yrs) and flagging down the ambulance when they got lost but wouldnt do cpr because she didn't want to mess it up.

Really? The job has an average span of 7 years before you're too burned out to do it

Without being identifying on one shift I took calls for a stabbing, a shooting, a drowning, a hanging and a rape
I've had to keep someone on the phone for over 30 mins who had raped his child
I've spoke to parents who have fallen asleep on and suffocated their baby, to husbands married for 50 years trying to wake their wife up

Things like bombs, mass shootings, all while trying to follow an exact script so you don't get on a PIP for making an error, with barely any time between calls

I've seen grown men sobbing at their desk. All for band 3. They do have empathy (the majority are good) but a lot are burned out; stressed, under paid and under unbelievable pressure
It's a job that changes you and sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night over a call you heard

“deviating from the script” is wasting time they don’t have.

Its a can of worms if call handlers did this. You have a high number of callers wanting to hurl abuse, ranting on and wanting to be listened to, mentally unwell people calling to talk to somebody, seemingly genuine callers who you quickly realise are wanking on the line and lots of drunk incoherent callers rambling on.

That's not acceptable though. It's not the next callers fault and they shouldn't be spoken to like it is, THEY could be the person whose loved one is dying (I won't say parent whose child because everyone is equally important) and this could be the worst moment of their lives.

This. I was an EMD for 10 years. It wrecked my mental health.

Also re. bleeding - imagine the size of the puddle a pint of dropped milk would make on the kitchen floor. People donate that amount of blood and walk home.

@sheoaouhra I completely agree!

@Gillbil

An old paramedic friend talked about how rare it is for ppl to do anything past calling 999.
Even performing cpr when asked for by the 999 operator, (it may be different now) and said more often than not its because they think they'll make it worse so they want to wait for someone more qualified to come alone, which is 🤯.

It isn't 🤯 for me. It's not within my level of ability. You sound so judgmental of people who are not as able as yourself. That's a shame.

TwattyMcFuckFace · Today 00:38
They're brusque because the early information can be absolutely vital for the victim, and they're the priority, not the caller”

This. I’m just incredibly thankful that there are people willing to take on this difficult, demanding, thankless role. I certainly wouldn’t be capable.

After David Iredale in Australia, I'm not so sure on the amazing training that these people have. ( Admittedly not UK but I'm sure there are similar cases).

If you think that you could do the job better, be utterly unaffected by it, do apply.

And one of the reasons that there is a script will be to help the call handler stay on track if they have been blindsided by a horrible call or three.

In this situation, op wasn’t calling on behalf of a loved one who was dying.

She was simply frustrated to have to go through a set of questions that weren’t tailored to her particular circumstances.

Im sure the system will eventually become automated. Then we’ll all be faced with talking to a computer and selecting the right option on our phone before being put in a queue for an ambulance that might get to us within 4 hours.

The well being of the caller wasn’t necessarily our first priority.

And this is why community-minded people become reluctant to engage with the emergency services. Where public services claim to be short of resources, it is incumbent on those engaging with the public not to discourage future co-operation.

If you choose not to phone 999 to help someone because you’re afraid the call handler will be short with you, that says a lot about you.

I came across a lone walker near the bottom of Pen Y Ghent a week or so before lockdown. I was also a lone walker. There was no one else around initially. The walker had a head injury and wasn't coherent and couldn't answer me sensibly.
I phoned for help. I needed to know the guys name- I didn't know. However she needed to know. I told her I still don't know. She asked where the accident happened. I said I don't know but I assume near by- I used what 3 words. She needed an address. I said I didn't have an exact address of a fell. She wanted his age. I didn't know. She wanted to know how the accident happen . I didn't know.
I kept saying the location I had and that I had come across this chap, there is no one else around and he is losing a lot of blood from his head. He can't talk sensibly to me so I cant' rely anything back. I got told that I need his name and age again.
Thankfully for me a group of ramblers came into sight and I called them over. There was about 8 of them and I let them take over.

I've had to call 999 many times over the years and they've always been shit. They want to know your name, address, date of birth before they will begin to take details of the reason you're calling. In an emergency it's totally maddening.

If the reason you're calling is that you've just murdered your mother (a call of mine I took) it's quite important information to establish for the police before you hang up and leg it.

I think they do a great job. The last two times I’ve rung them I’ve had very different experiences.

I rang as I came across a man collapsed. Full cardiac arrest. The person with him spoke no English so I was on the phone to 999 whilst doing chest compressions. They started their algorithm and I said (very breathlessly) ‘this is a cardiac arrest no output, I’m doing compressions and I’m on the corner of xx street opposite xxx’ the reply was ‘god. Right. Okay. Okay.’ Ambulance arrived in 7 minutes, non shockable rhythm sadly.

The second time a very elderly lady had slammed her own leg in her car door (How) and opened her leg to the bone, muscle protruding, bleeding+++ I put on a tourniquet (am a shit magnet and have a great first aid kit in the car, better than the one in my clinic that day), elevated the limb, applied dressings to stop the bone being exposed. She was in shock, not well at all. It wasn’t classed as a priority and I was told to take her to hospital myself. I admit I was appalled.

they do a great job in awful circs.

Had a similar situation a long time ago. Was at work (8th floor of a busy city block) and happened to glance out of the window, to see a woman collapsed on the pavement, bleeding.
I called 999 and started by saying I might need an ambulance, but it may have already been called in.
Gave location and basic details and the call handler was asking me things I couldn't answer. I said I was in work, on 8th floor, and had seen through window.
"What is the person's name?"
"Are they conscious?"
"How old is she?"
None of which I could answer.

In the bad old days we had enough ambulances for the ambulance to turn up to both.

I can live with people being short with me, the sudden deaths that were dealt with badly will be with me forever.

I think it's because they have a script to follow and that's that. Though after watching several episodes of 'Ambulance' I was a bit shocked that none of the call handlers seemed very bright at all. They certainly don't employ graduates.

This can be incredibly useful information though so if you have it - and most people do who call 999 as most calls are done by someone known to the patient, not strangers pp it can save some time and help the call handler access useful information much quicker.

They aren't asking you these questions to annoy you!