To think most people probably don't need an ambulance...

[Vwswimmer1]

Just that really. Also so many people that don't realise you still get triaged in an ambulance and can end up in the waiting room with everyone else...

Obviously not about people who can't mobilise or people or genuinely need one but the amount of stories I heard of people calling ambulances when they really don't need to.

I have new on set seizures(waiting on Nuro app), and have had a few small one this week and not felt myself I’m not sure but I feel a big one is coming, I am concerned about this. My dh is at work so just me and dd I have had to explain to her not to ring an ambulance and to try and ring her dad. I have had an ambulance out recently because I wound not come out of a seizure, when I finally came too my dd was hysterical and the paramedics were absolutely angels who calmed her down took me to hospital and I was admitted straight away to a ward

YANBU.

Ive known situations whereby an ambulance has been called because it will be a quicker route to hospital. That’s not what they should before and people who can get taxis or lifts should do just that. It is interesting how ambulance calls have dropped significantly today

I'd love to know how people get these ambulances out in the first place..... DH was diagnosed with atrial fibrilation during lockdown, and passed out cold on the hall floor one Sunday morning this summer. He was absolutely soaked in sweat, his heart rate was 188 (luckily he had his Apple watch on) and I honestly thought he was having a heart attack. There's no way I could have moved him as he was unconscious.

Took nearly an hour for an ambulance to come out, and they'd come on blue lights from the neighbouring county as none were available locally. We were lucky that it was just a bad episode of AF, and thankfully meant that his surgery was brought forward.

That’s funny, every time I’m in the doctors or A&E I am treated by qualified, skilled and dedicated people who were either born overseas or their parents were.

The NHS is on its knees but it would have been there a lot sooner without immigration including refugees.

Yep I agree with you OP - having been a call handler and worked in the NHS in the past.

I can understand that people are scared and would like to have some reassurance and someone medical on hand.

But most people do have the provision (either someone to drive them or money for taxis) to get themselves to A&E, urgent care or a GP. And it is safe to do so with lower category dispositions.

Of course this doesn't solve the problem that once they get to site, there's no capacity to see them!!

We had this problem about 4 years ago. DH had a chest infection on Saturday morning, because he was taking medication to reduce his immune system he needed antibiotics so he rang 111 to organise an OOH GP appointment. 111 insisted on sending an ambulance despite the fact he said several times he just needed and wanted a GP appointment.

Oh, glad to see MNHQ were quick off the mark deleting that.

This is appalling and exactly the situations that need an ambulance and would actually be able to help with. I'm so sorry it took so long and I'm glad your husband is ok.

Most people don't have a stretcher and the means to lift and transport it.

Even without strikes it is 6 hour wait for ambulance where I live. Husband was writhing in pain, and going unconscious, I had to get him to the car and drive him in to A&E. there is barely an ambulance service anymore. We have to accept that sadly.

People will die,as a result of today's strike.The paramedics might as well hold a gun to someone s head every hour and shoot them if their demands are not met

My dad just collapsed with a heart rate of 201. Called 999. They said no chance. Currently my dh is driving him 40 mins to a&e.

But sure. Most people don't need ambulances 🙄

People are dying every day because our government is driving the NHS into the ground. The paramedics are not to blame.

I'm really sorry to hear that and I hope your dad is ok. I was in the same position with my dad a few years ago and had to drive him unconscious to A&E.

However these are not the situations I'm talking about.

I also had a bad Afib attack at home. Racing heart 187 up and down. Felt hot sweaty and dizzy. I know generally what to do when these things strike as there are strategies that sometimes work to get back to sinus rhythm, but this day no dice. Three hours is the maximum I'll hang on.
Luckily I was able to walk, got a lift to the A+E and was admitted to resus straight away. They cardioverted me and all was well in the end.
They asked why I didn't phone for an ambulance, I just said it was quicker to get here by car.
Now I do understand that in similar or worse circumstances a lift will not work, that's when an ambulance is absolutely required, but if you are walking wounded and have not passed out and breathing is reasonable, best thing if you can is get there yourself. Triage will operate anyway ambulance or not.

I don't believe the problem really is that people are calling ambulances when they don't need them. I think a lack of ambulances has been an issue for years. My friend's husband suffered cardiac arrest about six years ago and rang 999 and was simply told that there were no ambulances.
I rang 999 for my mum last year and we were put on hold- then waited 6 hours. She subsequently died. There isn't the capacity and there isn't the staff.

Yes, absolutely.

You see, up until this point, I knew that you so didn't work in a hospital ( unless, possibly, the janitorial staff) , but that you were just being stupid. But this is dangerous and idiotic. Period don't get to just ring an ambulance. They aren't taxis. Although, to be fair given the under investment in the service, you might be bettering calling an uber if you actually want to get there. Calls into the ambulance service are assessed, and they aren't dispatched to just anyone who wants one. Someone with a heart condition or a stroke MAY be able to mobilise, and don't have fractures, but that didn't mean they souks drive to A&E. You have no right nor ability to judge who needs an ambulance. You are simply exploiting the newsworthiness of ambulances right now to virtue signal.

I can say I 100% work in a hospital. There are lots of situations where people can mobilise and go to hospital.

Yep I agree, there are a lot of people who call 999 that don't need to. I say this as someone who's worked in the Nhs for over 15 years and have family working in the ambulance service.

So much of the issue is the bigger picture though. I work for an ambulance service and see the issues day in and day out.

People are calling 999 because they can't get into a GP or have waited ages at a&e previously and think it'll get them seen quicker or think they might be able to be treated at home. Paramedics take them in, it's rare they don't, but then wait 4-6hrs at a&e for a bed to handover the patient too. This usually sees them going over their shift, and unable to respond to genuine cat 1 calls.

They are burnt out, a&e can't cope, the wards are full of people that should be discharged but adult social care isn't functioning as it should, to be able to release people with care at home and it's a vicious cycle.

The whole system is so ridiculously underfunded and ignored that it's become a hazard. Until people can get the care they need from hospitals and GPs (and I am not bashing, they are struggling themselves) then they'll keep using the ambulance service for minor issues.

On top of this, we have waves of illness after lockdown that people's immune systems aren't managing and children especially who haven't had chance to build their immune system so being more poorly than usual adding to the already difficult winter pressures.

I know you hear stories of people who abuse ambulances, but I have never personally known someone call one for a reason like that so I assumed it was just the bad stories making the news.

Most ambulance calls I've known are taking immobile elderly people to hospital after a fall and suspected break/fracture so couldn't physically get in a car and very rare cases of anaphylaxis or asthma attacks where it was the immediate paramedic treatment that was essential rather than the ambulance itelf.

I would be interested to know the percentage of actual time wasters rather than just people without medical knowledge being scared and assuming the worst.

Oh bore off. GPs are the only part of the NHS who are seeing more patients since pre-Covid, despite their numbers falling. They see deal with one million patients per day.

I fell / collapsed on to the pavement a while back (I have Multiple Sclerosis) some girls had called an ambulance while I was still in shock on the floor. I bloody told them I didn't need an ambulance but they said it was on its way. Was so embarrassing but I wasn't hurt.

On another fall (it happens a lot) I broke my foot and leg. People told me to call the ambulance because I couldn't get off the floor. I waited for a friend and her partner to get to me and lift me into their car. No need for an ambulance.

So, yes I agree with you OP.

Yeah... The only time I've ever called an ambulance is when my daughter had a seizure. Even when I was half dead from kidney failure I took a taxi to hospital.