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 complain. Listen yes everyone is tired, stressed and anxious about whether or not the next patient actually does have Coronavirus or not (and the implications for the health worker if they do) but that’s not a get out for missing potentially life threatening conditions, falsifying legal documents and being frankly rude. I deal with difficult patients all the time, I don’t get to be rude to them just because I’ve had a crappy day.

I think her bad attitude is just as important.

A huge part of being a paramedic or even just a first aider, is to get as much information as they can out of the actual patient.

That's hardly likely to happen if she's that hostile and dismissive.

Sounds to me more as if she's panicking, or lost focus, which is understandable, but dangerous.

What if the next person she dismisses stays home, without support, and ends up in respiratory arrest.

Far better she gets checked now, than at a tribunal, or coroner's inquest.

Dh is a paramedic and I am an ambulance volunteer. Complain. Pyrex is and new onset confusion should have been taken seriously.

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

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

Ands thats why i think you should raise the issue, someone could have died unnecessarily here!.

Make a complaint, she was very unprofessional and made mistakes on the paperwork which could have been fatal for someone.

I'd let it go. I imagine that for every one genuinely ill person they've seen a day full of people being hysterical and in no need of a paramedic. Probably stretched to the max. Knackered with no light at the end of their tunnel for the foreseeable future

I would let it go in the current circumstances, but it does sounds as though they were rather rude in the face of a serious illness.

Welcome to the new normal. Every part of the NHS is under massive strain and someone wants to add to it because a paramedic has been rude to them. I despair.

I'd let it go. I imagine that for every one genuinely ill person they've seen a day full of people being hysterical and in no need of a paramedic. Probably stretched to the max. Knackered with no light at the end of their tunnel for the foreseeable future

Then she needs to get herself signed off with stress or change her job

Welcome to the new normal. Every part of the NHS is under massive strain and someone wants to add to it because a paramedic has been rude to them. I despair.

And i despair at the people who wilfully miss the wrong information part that could cost lives...

I would have to complain in a factual way purely to try to stop this happening to someone else who doesn't have an advocate. I'm an slightly confused why they aren't swabbing your DH as was under the impression that anyone hospitalised would be tested. It's a bit late to say oh you haven't travelled so you can't have it as at this point you could pick it up doing the shop. Getting a CV diagnosis doesn't make any odds to your DH as such but it seems useful for the staff treating him to know whether he's contagious or not.

Complain. Not acceptable.

Was the issue that she was annoyed that an ambulance had been called? Could he have been driven to out of hours GP? Or got a taxi?
Not an excuse for her behaviour which sounds unprofessional, but wherever possible I'd make my own way rather than take an ambulance. Obvs if your DH is not mobile then home visit is necessary.

OP I hope your husband is ok, and if you do want to complain I don't think it's unreasonable. Although I wonder how they can be sure that it's not Covid? Viral testing sensitivity is around 60-70%.....a CT scan is probably the most sensitive. But it doesn't sound like he's had either??

Normally I’d complain.

Right now I’d leave it.

I've worked alongside the ambulance service and I don't understand where they filled the paperwork in? Why didn't they ask you questions instead of guessing? Did they ask you to check the paperwork? Was it to be taken to hospital?

Anyway my industry is under huge pressure (that's the nature of it) and will be one of the most affected by the virus. I still would never treat a patient like that and I wouldn't accept it from my staff. When I've had complaints about a staff member before because I'd hate to think I was sending out unkind staff to vulnerable patients.

If the NHS wasn't under so much pressure I would probably raise a complaint - but at the moment you would be taking away valuable time for them to investigate so I'd leave it.

That valuable might be all the time it takes for someone to prevent this paramedic from making a mistake that kills someone next time.

If it was just the attitude I’d be tempted to leave it. However Worra makes a good point about getting the relevant information out of people.

He received treatment, why would you complain ?

Definitely complain. No excuses for being rude

I make lots of mistakes myself, but frankly someone in that paramedic's position should always be kind and should fill the bloody form in properly.

My mother was dying of cancer and the nurses and hospital porters were amazing. But one day someone was just slightly off with her and sent her into floods of tears.

Hi OP,

Ask for a Covid-19 test. It's now widely accepted that Coronavirus is spreading in the community and your DH doesn't need to have had contact with someone from China/Italy etc. to have it.

His age might put him at low risk of serious consequences but you can catch Coronavirus at any age.

There seem to be a lot of people with severe chest infections or pneumonia being diagnosed and not being tested for covid 19.

You most certainly should complain. I cant see why on earth anyone would find it acceptable that a healthcare professional lied and wrote incorrect information on official paperwork.

Having stress or upset is never an excuse for poor patient care especially during a medical crisis. You need to complain that's completely unprofessional and dangerous.