To ask advice as my parents have been waiting for three hours for an ambulance

[haveyourselfamerry]

They are 500 miles away in Bournemouth. Dad is 80 and frail with poor visual processing and probable autism.
A little over three hours ago dad fell in the sitting room. Mum got him into a propped up position. It hurts behind his left hip.
The history is that he fell last February and broke his hip. He was stuck in hospital waiting for a fictitious rehab place for 10 weeks, as a result of which his gait has permanently altered.
They are hoping this is not another break as it feels less bad than last time.
Obviously though they are getting increasingly uncomfortable and distressed.
He will fall asleep soon. Mum is wondering if she can get him lying down. She is too fail to stop him dropping off/sliding over.
Thanks in advance :(
Old age s not for sissies.

Are you sure that your Mum would turn MyCatsAPirate away if she says she's a triage nurse/paramedic/whatever to help until the ambulance arrives? I don't know her in person, but I've known her about a year in here and she seems like a really good egg. I'd much rather have someone there than them alone like this, someone more able to get him help.

Thank goodness it's arrived . Hope he gets some good care now OP.

Cross posted.

Glad they've arrived!

Ambulance has arrived!

Thank God

RhiWrites

Spot on.

The answer is the NHS needs more funding.

Get your mum to call again and he's shallow breathing and unresponsive

Your poor parents, I second previous posters tell your mum to pack a bag with food, water, cushion and anything else she thinks might keep her comfortable for a long wait. Hope they get seen to soon.

How long do you think they will need for history/assessment?
Then 30m to Poole.
Any estimates queuing time&awaiting time?

And look into sheltered housing in their area?

OP did say her DF was drowsy though, didn't she?

Very glad ambulance arrived OP. Can you use this as a starting point to put a care package in place for your parents? A relative of mine had a serious fall recently and the family have had to be a bit forceful and make them accept a care package and beginning to look at nursing homes (husband has dementia and wife is carer but increasingly frail, had multiple falls and we think in the early stages of dementia as well, no immediate NOK and definitely no local family).

In our area GP's out of hours service is accessed through 111.

m0therofdragons

I work in a south west hospital and last weekend we had heart attack and stroke patients waiting 4 hours or more for ambulances. It's really difficult at the moment. Op I hope your df gets help very soon

Fucking hell. I knew it was bad, but Jesus, that's beyond awful.

So sorry OP. The NHS is a fucking disgrace So not true, they are trying to do the best they can with the little they have, it's a breaking point and I don't think it will survive much longer like this.
I hope your Dad is OK OP.
I lived so long with private ins abroad, I was shocked at the state of the NHS on return to UK, I'm saddened by it.
We used to call the fire dept when we had someone fall, they had been taught how to lift and carefully help up the elderly and also had a paramedic on each truck. Then if a hospital transfer was needed an ambulance would come.

He was drowsy but not unduly so for him IYSWIM.

Care packages.... don't get me started....

Can you get your neighbour to make sure they have water, warm clothes, any meds he's on etc mobile phone & charger if they have one & some money etc. Your Mum might be too worried to be thinking straight about what she needs.

Can't you acces a care package or are they refusing help?

Glad they are with your parents now. Hope they are seen as quickly as possible. To the posters who suggest lying about symptoms to get a priority ambulance I despair, really peoples lives are on the line.

Mum is on it. Shall I set off and stay in a Ramada? They are both being grave but it will catch up with them..

My relative was in a different area but the GP did a home visit and called the ambulance at 4.00pm, ambulance arrived at 9.00pm. Waited in queue in hospital until around 1.30am

Stayed overnight and through the next day into the late afternoon/early evening, then was sent home with the promise of taxis for the next couple of days to bring them back to the necessary clinics (freeing up the bed)

I am not surprised when I hear that the NHS is at breaking point - and we have family who work in it as well.

I hope your parents get seen quicker, OP. Is there anyone that can go to support them that lives nearer than you?

FourtotheFloor I'll refrain from "sprouting further bullshit" as you so eloquently put it.
I wasn't aware that I'd sprouted any bullshit actually. Are you ok? Do
You need an ambulance? Could be a lengthy wait.

Really pleased they have arrived. I think unfortunately it is going to be potentially a pretty long wait as it's never quick but at least they are in the hands of the medics now.

Paramedics think it is not a bad fracture, if it is at all. They advise going in to Bournemouth for a X-ray. Fingers crossed....

Does anyone have any insight into why Bournemouth not Poole?

V interesting re career as paramedic btw.

Can you get first flight in morning? Can you hire a car?