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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that dd should have been a priority case?

178 replies

Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 22:41

Dd2 has type 1 diabetes.

Last night she had a series of hypos which we treated and then another which would not respond to treatment. Her eyes were rolling and she was not fully conscious. We phoned 999 and thought they would come quickly.

We had to wait an hour and in that time phoned them back twice as she was so unwell. It was terrifying. We thought they would prioritise her or send a rapid response paramedic (the ones in a car not ambulance) but nothing. We were told they didn't know when somebody would be available.

When they finally came they took dd to hospital and she is now fine but when dh was there another child had just been taken in from an ambulance with earache, apparently the drs were not too happy and made this child go with his parents to wait in the waiting area but it mad me wonder how efficiently 999 calls are being prioritised.

I want to complain but I don't know who to contact. I am just so shaken up as took it for granted they'd arrive within minutes.

OP posts:
BerniceBroadside · 30/12/2013 22:45

Glad she's ok.

I would think you'll need to complain the to ambulance trust, but your local PALS might be a good place to start.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 22:48

I just couldn't believe it, dd was really poorly and we assumed they would prioritise her. Obviously I know there may have been more serious cases elsewhere but a whole hour ! And then for dh to see a child at the hospital who had arrived in an ambulance with earache worried me as it could have had a different outcome.

I will get in touch with PALS. Wasn't sure who was in charge of 999 calls.

OP posts:
fibrecruncher · 30/12/2013 22:52

Hi op, that must have been very stressful. Glad she's ok. Definitely complain.

ohfourfoxache · 30/12/2013 22:58

Unfortunately, like the rest of the NHS, it's all targets now. Clinical need isn't always used to prioritise.

Definitely complain. I can' remember how ambulance services are organised now - it might be best to contact NHS England who will be able to point you in the right direction. Alternatively PALS at the hospital should be able to advise.

Sorry you and your lovely dd have gone through this, hope she's ok x

32notout · 30/12/2013 22:59

Glad your dd is ok. Yes, definitely complain.

I am not sure how common this is though - a similar thing happened to me with my unconscious hypoglycaemic two year old (then undiagnosed so had no idea what was wrong). Called 999 and was told it would be 45 minutes so put her in the pushchair in the recovery position and ran the 2 miles to A & E. Doctors there were HORRIFIED at the ambulance service response so I made a complaint - which they haven't yet bothered to reply to (2 months and counting!)

DeepThought · 30/12/2013 23:02

gosh how upsetting and stressful for DD

wrt other patients, you don't know their history, ofc; a child with 'earache' might be very worrying for staff because of an underlying or pre-exisiting condition

MammaTJ · 30/12/2013 23:03

When I broke me ankle on a Saturday night I had to wait over an hour and a half for an ambulance, IMO absolutely right! Your DD should have been seen earlier, something went wrong there!

Original poster
Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 23:05

It was just dreadful, we phoned back twice and they couldn't tell us when they'd arrive then they phoned us back and asked how dd was, we told them her bg was still under 4 (it was 3.3at that point and dropping) and all they asked dh was if dd was breathing. They then reiterated they didn't know when they would be with us.

OP posts:
Original poster
Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 23:07

Dh said he overheard the dr saying that a child with earache and a blocked nose shouldn't have come in an ambulance and they were sent to wait with everybody else so ob no underlying problems.

OP posts:
ShitOnAStick · 30/12/2013 23:09

That must have been so scary for you op. Definitely complain! I'm glad she's okay now.

Sirzy · 30/12/2013 23:10

People misusing ambulances is part of the problem meaning genuine cases will need to wait longer - that's what people forget when using an Ambilance instead of a taxi.

When DS had a horrendous croup and asthma attack we phoned 999 and were warned they were busy. My friend is a paramedic so we sent for him and he got on the phone to the operator and told them how urgent it was (and threatened to but in a comlaint) and they diverted an ambulance to him.

MyNameIsWinkly · 30/12/2013 23:11

The thing about the other child, though, is that the parents may well have exaggerated blocked nose to not breathing, which would get a top priority response. I don't know what area of the country you're in, but where I work there just aren't any ambulances, its next to impossible to get one. By all means complain, hopefully you'll get a satisfactory response.

I hope your DD is better today?

macdoodle · 30/12/2013 23:14

Its a shambles currently.
I am a GP, happened to be around and witness an old gent fall over outside his house. Ran over to help, to discover (to my expert eye) he had broke his hip. Unable to get him up, even with a neighbours help, and called 999. Introduced myself, explained what I thought had happened. He was lying on the ground outside, it was freezing and windy/sleety, he was 92 with dementia. His poor wife was distraught, we covered him with blankets and I sat holding his hand.
And we waited.......I called back twice saying he was cold and going into shock. They said to give him a hot drink, I said I was medically qualified and didnt think that was good advice, as if he had broken his hip and needed surgery that would delay things/be dangerous.
They were fantastic when they got there, but over an hour was crazy.
Hope DD is ok now.

ohfourfoxache · 30/12/2013 23:14

Sadly an awful lot of people don't understand what an emergency actually is. I ended up in an ambulance being taken from urgent care to a&e a few months ago (they wouldn't let DH drive me, told me when I went in that I needed a blue light Blush - I wasn't that bad!) Speaking to the paramedic, they had just visited a woman in her 20's who had called an ambulance because she had had toothache for 2 weeks and didn't have an appointment until the Monday morning (this was on Saturday afternoon).

What your dd went through - now that's an emergency. I wish people could understand how much time is wasted in healthcare by stupid, petty, ridiculous individuals who don't have a fucking clue Angry

FrankAndFurt · 30/12/2013 23:15

The ambulance dispatch people have to rely on what the people phoning them say. They will not have knowingly allocated an ambulance to collect a child with a simple earache unless they were misled by the person reporting it to them or there were other factors involved.

ohfourfoxache · 30/12/2013 23:16

Mac that is terrifying Sad

VivaLeBeaver · 30/12/2013 23:18

Sometimes when I'm out with an ambulance crew on a transfer on the way home they tell me they're the only one in the county (large county) that's currently free to answer calls. Not unusual. I've also been sat in an ambulance outside a&e in a queue of five ambulances, sat for hours as a&e too busy to accept the patients. That night there were no ambulances free as they were all there.

Your dd maybe was prioritised but that was the first one available. Or maybe they had a few cardiac arrests come in the same time as your dd's call and it was just bad timing.

A paramedic can't refuse to take someone to hospital if they insist. So a parent could ring up saying their dc is really ill. Paramedic gets there and says I think its earache, stay home. If parent says no, take us to hospital they have to do it.

It is shit and the ambulance service is on its knees. Appparantly the new 111 thing has made it worse.

FrankAndFurt · 30/12/2013 23:18

Sorry, I forgot to say that I hope your DD2 is feeling better Smile An hour is a hell of a long time to wait.

Misspixietrix · 30/12/2013 23:19

I would definately complain! I'm a regular wish I wasn't 999 caller when DD is ill. She needs a neb when she's that ill (unstable asthmatic and 'not ill enough' to warrant a home one). It helps take the edge off for her before A & E gives steroids etc. Up until a week ago I would have questioned the whole earache thing but I saw them admit a baby with a cold that day Hmm so quite believable now! I've always assumed (but may be wrong) that it goes Heart/Stroke/Breathing/Seizures in relation to priority? DF called 999 in the summer thinking it was his asthma. Turned out to be an onset of a heart attack and he was blue lighted there! ShockHope your DD makes a swift recovery. Let us know how you get on.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/12/2013 23:19

Whether they had ambulances or not, you'd have hoped they could have sent a paramedic by car or motorbike - my MIL had type II and we were there on a couple of occasions when she hypo'd, the para was always there within a very short time.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 23:20

I think I took it for granted they would be quick as on the three occasions In the past I've had to phone 999-twice for my sister having a prolonged seizure and once for dd1 when she collapsed and was blue they've been there in minutes.

We made it very clear to them how ill dd2 was and how low her blood sugar was and they just didn't come Sad it was the longest hour of my life, we gave her so much juice and glucose tablets and it would go up then plummet again and by the time they arrived she was very ill.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 30/12/2013 23:21

111 has made it far, far worse. Can't say much for risk out outing myself but it is truly abhorrent Sad

ohfourfoxache · 30/12/2013 23:22

I know this is going to sound awful, but thank fuck you were with her.

Please complain, it's the only chance of anything getting any better.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 30/12/2013 23:22

Dd is ok today, been. A bit on the low side but we have reduced her insulin. Just feel anxious that if she's hypo again the same thing would happen and I feel so uneasy as before I always thought if you phone 999 you get help immediately.

I understand that they prioritise based on the info they get but find it hard to understand why somebody would mislead or exaggerate when phoning. It could cost somebody else their life.

OP posts:
OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 30/12/2013 23:22

As well as complaining to the nhs trust I'd contact your mp. They need to know what is going on.

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