Page 2 | That they should have called an ambulance?

ThisIsMyHappyFacee · 2022-09-03T07:43:39+00:00

I'm abroad, elderly mother, 83, has had a fall. She lives alone, insistent on independent living despite us talking to her about situations like like this! She's fallen in the bathroom but managed to get to the living room to call my brother but she can not get up off the floor. She's on blood thinning meds and is bleeding from the head, not sure how much. She's conscious. However my brother lives an hours drive from her and is going to her now but will not call an ambulance as they won't be able to get in anyway he said and Mum will not go in an ambulance anyway. AIBU to think an ambulance should have been called?? Anything could happen in an hour! I'm worried sick :(

Recycledblonde · 03/09/2022 09:09

shiningstar2 · 03/09/2022 08:53

She could have broken something and needs checking over by a medic. She shouldn't be moved around much so not really a good idea for brother to take her to a and e. Best shed checked by a medic. In her own home. I know this might take hours but she could be left on a trolley for hours in a and e.

She will need to go to A&E as she is on blood thinners and has a head injury. How she gets there is irrelevant really.

Silverbirch2 · 03/09/2022 09:12

My dh nan fell and was bleeding from face also on blood thinners. Neighbours rang 999 they said they would try to gey to her that day... it was 7:30am. Family drove to her, moved her and took her to hospital. She sat in a&e for almost 48 hrs but she was triagaged and at least in the right place if anything further happened. Its terrible the poor NHS.

adamanti · 03/09/2022 09:16

raindon · 03/09/2022 08:55

@adamanti That is awful, I'm so sorry your mum had to go through that. Did she make a complaint?

No. An ardent socialist she did what she always does...BLOODY THATCHER! She uis heartbroken about the NHS and won't complain even though she knows it could help others. She hasn't long been back from staying with me, she comes 3 times a year for health check, dentist and prescriptions which I tease her is a bit champagne socialist but I don't care, she's mum and I love her x

DustinsHat · 03/09/2022 09:18

adamanti · 03/09/2022 08:54

My mum dialled 999 for a neighbour complaining of severe chest pain. He died 9 hours later. She rang and cancelled. 2 days later a blue light screamed up to her house for the chest pain patient. She explained that he had died on her kitchen floor in the 9th hour of waiting (she is old herself and completely rural.and alone except.for him) and they shouted at her for not cancelling and that someone would have died due to her time-wasting. Sad she was abused and is now all alone since the NHS killed her 42 year old support person. Post mortem ruled that treatment within 2 hours followed by CABG would have been highly likely to have prevented the death. Don't bother with the NHS if you can afford to use private for her.

Holy shit, that's really shocking

Abraxan · 03/09/2022 09:50

I would have called an ambulance AND have brother drive offer offering to take her in.

Then if the ambulance arrived first she could go in that. If he arrived first the ambulance could be cancelled and he take her.

Sadly these days there is no guarantee even an emergency ambulance will be a short waiting time. People aren't prioritised simply due to age. It is medical need.

Ambulance arrivals to a and e are also not prioritised at triage, again it is needs assessed.

I had a cat 1 ambulance called for me and it was taking forever. I was at a doctors clinic when it was called - emergency ambulance, risk of serious nature, etc. There was a traffic incident and huge holdups as nothing could pass by - despite being of the highest category it was taking a very long time. We had to persuade the doctor to allow dh, who drove over to meet me from work, to let him just take me himself. We had to sign a disclaimer in order to do so. We were given a letter for the hospital outlining what was happening.

Dogscanteatonions · 03/09/2022 10:12

I was in a&e recently and there was an elderly man with a gaping bleeding head wound. Receptionist told him it would be at least 6 hours before he would even be seen by triage

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 03/09/2022 10:16

Darkness22 · 03/09/2022 08:46

Ambulances in these instances are always in the press for taking 8 plus hours. Have you a neighbour's number for the future?

I've had the unfortunate job of calling an ambulance for neighbours 3x recently and they've arrived in a timely fashion, one within 10 mins. Bleeding from the head would be seen as a priority.

Darkness22 · 03/09/2022 10:21

I wasn't saying don't call an ambulance, personally I would have done both.

Sniffypete · 03/09/2022 10:28

raindon · 03/09/2022 08:47

As shocking as it is, it would be quicker for your brother to get there and take her to hospital if needed than an ambulance

Unfortunately, this is true.

Nobetterthansheoughttobe · 03/09/2022 10:31

adamanti · 03/09/2022 08:54

My mum dialled 999 for a neighbour complaining of severe chest pain. He died 9 hours later. She rang and cancelled. 2 days later a blue light screamed up to her house for the chest pain patient. She explained that he had died on her kitchen floor in the 9th hour of waiting (she is old herself and completely rural.and alone except.for him) and they shouted at her for not cancelling and that someone would have died due to her time-wasting. Sad she was abused and is now all alone since the NHS killed her 42 year old support person. Post mortem ruled that treatment within 2 hours followed by CABG would have been highly likely to have prevented the death. Don't bother with the NHS if you can afford to use private for her.

Except private care does not provide any kind of emergency or urgent care, so would be waiting a mighty long time for treatment

Original poster

ThisIsMyHappyFacee · 03/09/2022 10:38

He called an ambulance when he was 15 mins away, he arrived and although ok in herself she was quite poorly with a cold and fever and has tested positive for Covid! She's been taken to hospital for observation.

OP posts:

Abraxan · 03/09/2022 14:38

I hope she improves very soon.

Buttingtons · 03/09/2022 14:52

My elderly parent had a bad fall recently and hit their head, very dizzy, suspected concussion and stitches needed.

They were told 15 hour wait for an ambulance.

Their neighbour drove them to a&e and were told that they should not have moved them and should have waited for an ambulance. Which would have meant lying on the patio in the back garden in the rain overnight for 15 hours.

timeandagain1 · 03/09/2022 14:58

I hope your Mum is on the mend and being looked after in hospital. To counter the horrific accounts of people waiting hours for ambulances my I the last 6 months my elderly have fallen approximately 5 times (they seem to take it in turns) and an ambulance has always arrived in a couple of hours. My mum was on blood thinners and banged her head when she fell. They admitted her for a couple of days and she had CT scans etc and was found to have had a bleed on the brain. It sounded quite dramatic but as I say they sent her home after a couple of days and is fine. My parents have a keybox and careline pendant. Try and encourage your mum to do the sa

Winceybincey · 03/09/2022 15:02

My grandmother suddenly took Ill and called my mum. Mum called an ambulance as she had symptoms of very low blood pressure plus severe stomach pain and she couldn’t walk or make it to the toilet as she suddenly became so weak. Ambulance took 3.5 hours. When they finally got there her blood pressure was dangerously low and they couldn’t get it back up. They rushed her to hospital on blue lights as she was so poorly. She didn’t survive sadly. This was 2 months ago.

I have no faith in the emergency services right now. I know it’s not their fault as they’ve been cut to the bone, but our loved ones would have more of a chance if we are in a position to help them first.

Immaterialatthispoint · 03/09/2022 15:12

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 03/09/2022 10:16

I've had the unfortunate job of calling an ambulance for neighbours 3x recently and they've arrived in a timely fashion, one within 10 mins. Bleeding from the head would be seen as a priority.

Show quote history

A priority yes, timely, no.

priority calls are taking 4/6 hours here. A head wound for a patient with another adult in attendance could easily be hours.

neilyoungismyhero · 03/09/2022 15:17

raindon · 03/09/2022 08:47

As shocking as it is, it would be quicker for your brother to get there and take her to hospital if needed than an ambulance

not necessarily true, each case is different.

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 03/09/2022 15:48

Your brother will get there before an ambulance. My friend called an ambulance for her mum who was unconscious. It came after 9 hours!!

OneTC · 03/09/2022 17:15

We got an ambulance in about 20 minutes when I called for my mum's fall recently.

Very very strange advice to tell someone not to bother with an ambulance because you think it probably will take a while.

I'm sorry for people's bad experiences but you don't know for certain what someone else's call out time will be and advising people to do something other than try and immediately access life saving medical treatment is dangerous and stupid

IMO

Hollywolly1 · 03/09/2022 17:18

Why did you not call an ambulance for her yourself even though u are abroad and let your brother still drive to her and if ambulance gets there first he could go straight to the hospital

ghostyslovesheets · 03/09/2022 17:28

One of the big issues with ambulance delays is hospital admission - paramedic friend told me of a 32 hour wait outside hospital recently with one patient - crew drove there - waited their entire shift - replaced by another crew - who waited their entire shift - original crew returned and got him admitted at the end of their shift - they can't leave patients and hospitals can't take them

add to that the many many time wasters