On hold to ambulance

[AlizeeEasy]

Earlier this evening I had to call for an ambulance, I was shocked to be put on hold for a few minutes. I’ve never had to call them before so I don’t know if this is somewhat the norm, especially for a Saturday evening. Does this seem like it should be the case?

For context I had initially called for the police as I thought the matter was more appropriate for them and they answered immediately but told me to hang up and call back for the ambulance.

I have such a deep respect for the emergency services, so this isn’t a critique of them, just of the apparent lack of resources to cover busier periods.

To those waiting 9/10 hours; I’m assuming you have literally no other possible way of getting there? Obviously it’s far from ideal being on public transport in agony but surely it’s better than waiting 9 hours? Not one single family member or friend to take you? Taxi? Just seems crazy to me the amount of people I’ve heard of that wait so long.

I was unable to bring the person to hospital unfortunately. She was unaware I was even calling as she’s having a severe mental health crisis. I’m not with her so no idea if she has received any help. I can only hope she has, as she is not responding to me anymore

@BorisIsATwat definitely try to. Took a neighbour a while back. Was literally planning defib stops as we went. I could see she was deteriorating but the time we got to hospital I couldn’t get her out of car. Luckily a lorry driver helped me. If we’d waited for an ambulance I think she’d have died.

I can see private ambulance firms starting up in next few years.

The problem is there is only so many staff able to receive and admit you.

I was on hold when I rang an ambulance for my mum and then waited 7 hours for one to arrive.

About 6 years ago my friend rang 999 for her husband who was having a cardiac arrest. She was put on hold and then simply told there were no ambulances whatsoever.

It can happen. If eg there's 10 operators and all are taking a call then you wait, they can't magic another operator. It's not common but sometimes there's multiple calls coming in that need an operator to stay on the line at the same time. My cousin is an ambulance control call handler.

I've never waited for ambulance control but I have for the police - in fact I gave up waiting and went looking for my dd(mental health crisis) and the police turned up at my house 15 mins later (I didn't answer my phone as I was concentrating on looking for dd) checking on what the matter was, my then h told them and they put a call out on the radios and she was found within 5 mins!

@CornishTiger there are already private ambulance firms.

This is nothing new. About 5 years ago I dialled 999 after hearing some poor guy being viciously attacked on the street outside in the early hours. I was on hold for quite a few minutes whilst listening to the poor guy pleading for his life. Horrific. Thankfully he survived but he endured a longer attack than he would have if the call had been answered sooner.

My god I wish there were ten operators!!!!

If you have a medical emergency but are capable of getting to a&e by car it's usually quicker if you like in a city anyway, normal caveat of if it's safe to do so, don't move a suspected spine/head injury.

I drove my grandad when he was having a suspected heart attack, we were at a&e in under 10 mins, no ambulance would have managed that!

It’s a perfect storm - lack of funding and so many elderly people. Its terrifying.

@BorisIsATwat

My cousin is in London, there's more than 10. No idea where I live but they are hiring currently!

So if I understand correctly, you aren’t with your relative who is experiencing the mental health crisis?

@AlizeeEasy?

Yes that’s correct. She had sent very troubling messages that made it clear she was a danger to herself and others. Had no choice but to contact for help

This was on the Jeremy Vine Radio 2 programme last week. Initial operator answers and asks which emergency service you need but then there can be a long wait for ambulance call handler to answer. People were reporting being kept waiting for 10 minutes. Many hung up and called again to be kept waiting again. The emergency hadn’t been triaged at any point — it was an equal wait for a twisted ankle, seizure or heart attack.

When there's an election I'm going to check the manifestoes and see which party intends to fund the ambulance service properly, as the information in this thread is completely shocking.

Concerning messages aren’t actually proof of a threat to life though. I would assume a welfare check from police would be the first port of call rather than an ambulance? I think they have powers to section as well?

I remember being put on hold for an ambulance when my dh stopped breathing back in 2005. I was in a massive panic, knew CPR but totally just panicked instead of doing it. Luckily he was fine in the end, someone answered the phone and an ambulance did come pretty quickly.

@Cuppasoupmonster
Op says the police told her to ring for an ambulance

with the greatest of respect, unless your relative was standing on a bridge about to jump or was imminently about to hurt someone. The emergency services won’t class this as urgent (and I speak as someone who has a brother who frequently suffers from severe mental health episodes).

My thought too. Like my op says, I called the police first and spoke to an operator who said it’s for the ambulance to respond to. I even said I was concerned she was going to hurt other people but was still told it was for ambulance

Oh right sorry missed that bit.

I told the operator the messages I was sent which included her saying she had a knife and was going to hurt someone. I couldn’t ignore it, but if the ambulance/police ignore it then it’s out of my control. Wish that wasn’t the case but it was all I could do

There is a recruitment and retention crisis with call handlers. One thing that doesn't help is centralised centres.
I would like to be a call handler but the nearest centre is an hours drive away. Smaller centres may attract more local people.