Make a formal complaint about an ambulance medic?

[KungFuPandaWorksOut20]

I want to say I understand with corona virus ambulance and NHS are stretched, that's why I'm asking for opinions.

Phoned 111 last night, my husband hasn't been well for nearly a week. But last night he wasn't himself. His temp was raging, and he was in a state of confusion. I went through his symptoms, they kept coming back to COVID-19, I explained he's not showing any of them but still answered their checklist.

They send an ambulance, which arrives within an hour. The woman enters wearing protective equipment, and straight away I found her quite rude. She greeted my husband with are you the one who is supposedly ill? She's asking him questions and not get much sense from him. She radio's someone and says I don't think it's COVID-19, more like a person with a cold feeling sorry for themselves.

I explained I never once rang it through as the corona virus, I was massively concerned about his temp he was struggling to manage and his confusion.

She exits and says she needs to phone someone. 10 minutes later she knocks on passes me paperwork and says he needs to go to an OOH and it isn't corona virus.

I read over the paperwork and honestly it is filled with so much rubbish it's like it's someone else's form. For instance she's put down allergies he doesn't have. Wrote down he refused too speak with them, the only reason they've revered him to an OOH because he insisted. (He refused to speak with them, yet insisted he gets referred )

The OOH doctor was a bit arsey when we first arrived, because it was clear the lady had made out like he was there over nothing.

Long story cut short, turns out he has pneumonia (nothing covid related) hence the reason for the delirium and temp. Once the doctor realised something was wrong she was absolutely amazing!

I get the ambulance service is extremley stretched given the current state of affairs, but WIBU in reporting the medic? I just feel massively let down on my husband's behalf.

I’d actually let this one go. I understand your frustration and without a doubt she was rude but in the current circumstances I can imagine they are under so much stress and worrying about what’s heading their way in the next few months. They are going to be worked into the ground.
Under different circumstances I would complain.
I hope your husband feels better soon.

I would have to complain. In a very factual way. Also acknowledge that the 111 advice may be lacking, but that it shouldn’t excuse that attitude.
Hope he’s soon feeling better.

If he has a fever then that’s one of the criteria for Covid 19. They have to take precautions just in case . But I’d definitely complain if they have written false information.

In the circumstances I would let it go. Imagine how much pressure people are under.

I think she was probably exceptionally stressed. It's unacceptable that she behaved like that and I don't blame you for being angry but under current circumstances I wouldn't make a complaint. Emergency services are going to be bearing the brunt of this crisis and will be at considerable personal risk. As much as her attitude was obnoxious and uncalled for, she did refer your husband to out of hours so did her job (albeit with very bad grace). I hope your husband makes a swift recovery.

DP is a paramedic and so are a vast majority of this friends and it sounds like this para (or tech) had simply had enough of 111 nonsense that day. I would phone in and explain the situation but I would avoid a formal complaint at this point. They can be rude and abrupt but until you see them walk in 4 hours late, after a 12 hour shift and waiting at hospital, as 111 sent them to a cold it's hard to understand it. That's not to say your husband didnt deserve the best care but maybe it was just the final straw for that day

I want to know how they knew for sure it wasn’t covid 19 when someone has a temp and pneumonia!

Regardless of the pressure the paramedic is under making mistakes/false information on forms is never acceptable, this could be life or death. Accuracy is important in this line of work and complaining to the health board highlights to them the reality of this situation.

She sounds very rude. It’s not really acceptable for her to have filled out the paperwork incorrectly. What if, for example, instead of her adding allergies he doesn’t have, she’d omitted one that he does have.

I wouldnt complain but would email your local service about the paperwork, I dont understand how the wrong allergies could be written down, that is concerning. Was she a paramedic? They are under immense strain but there history taking needs to be addressed. Hope dh us on the mend.

I would complain. Putting down non existent allergies on a form is dangerous. Her attitude Was awful and what if she were to be so dismissive with other patients?
I appreciate the current climate is stretching the NHS to capacity but her attitude is potentially dangerous. What if the patient was timid or couldn’t speak English well enough?
I hope that your husband recovers soon.

When I read your description of the symptoms OP I was about to post to say "that's just what dh was like when he had pneumonia" - but I see you have discovered that!
Being abrupt is one thing but to record anything inaccurately on the forms is potentially dangerous. Your dh did not receive the best standard of care or even a reasonable one, and although I get the idea that complaining at such a time of stress is OTT, if a patient is not being treated responsibly now how will that paramedic be coping in a month or two.

Let it go

In the current circumstances and considering DH did get the treatment he needed, I would let it go.

The NHS runs at breaking point anyway. Add to that a pandemic which has very common symptoms leading to thousands of people who are worried over a minor cold, 111 and their lack of medical knowledge and you have frontline staff at breaking point. No she shouldn’t have been rude to you, but in this situation I would let it go.

Hope DH feels better soon!

I think under these circumstances I probably would complain.

Complaining isn't the worst thing in the world and often leads to re-training or that person at least being 'put right' by their manager.

Try not to look at it as a bad thing, especially as the paperwork was worringly wrong.

I hope you didn't sign it?

I think why I want to complain is imagine if she dealt with a patient who didn't have anyone there, like I was for DH. The concerning thing is she has wrote down 2 allergies on the form - neither he has, the thing he is allergic she hasn't put that down.

Let it go but I too would be annoyed.

I think why I want to complain is imagine if she dealt with a patient who didn't have anyone there, like I was for DH.

Exactly. Your husband was vulnerable and at least you were there for him.

Thousands of other vulnerable people don't have that luxury.

I would complain, yes they are under stress but that doesn’t excuse the attitude or the poor standard of care. They missed a very serious condition that for some could be life threatening - it’s their job and just because you are stressed does not mean you don’t do your job.

I think I would complain. The current climate is no excuse at all for her, basically very unprofessional behaviour.
She needs pulled up on it IMO.

I’d send a factual email stating what was said and done, then leave it for them to deal with as they see fit.

I would complain. I understand they will be under more pressure but I guess now is a time to be more accurate, not less. And rudeness is never acceptable.

You dont need to make a formal complaint. The NHS formal complaints process takes forver and not much use in action 7 weeks down the line.

Yes you should raise your concerns and dissatisfaction but given the current picture a formal complaint is probably a bit OTT.

Each ambulance trust has their own PALS/complaints department id start with them.

I think the problem with 111 etc being obsessed with COVID is that they are going to miss other things. I think feedback to the ambulance service with your concerns may be good