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 imagine a high percentage of call outs are for the elderly.

@Vwswimmer1 make your own way is fine in some cases but you don't get seen straight away , a paramedic does assess you , the hospital receptionist does not

Where is this? My DD discharged a palliative patient to their home where they wanted to be, with support of family, ambulance took her there.

She helped deal with a stroke victim bought in by Ambulance, through AE to her ward.

When she left to go home.... she called me and i could hear the strikers banging drums and cars tooting support etc.

@Vwswimmer1
I work in palliative services
It has caused harm today
I am not outing my area or services as is a national strike

Stop arguing with me as I am telling you that you are wrong

You hop on one leg Your privilege is showing Not everyone lives in Sunshine Cottage next to a taxi rank

@whowhatwerewhy so the old lady who has fallen and broken a hip should make their own way ? As I don't think these are treated as cat 1 are they ?

£50 charge every time you call an ambulance would fix most of the issues people are describing. People in genuine need of one would be happy to pay it (even if payment deferred/ put on a payment plan). Regular fake callers would soon desist. Those trying to save transport costs also.

How far was the car? You must be well hard!

I fell in the street, so I would have been relying on strangers to get me in a cab - a black cab I guess - and then I'd have hopped round hospital A&E?

I don't really remember much but these nice chaps moved me to the side of the pavement away from cars, then I passed out, then I remember being loaded into an ambulance and being on a trolley till they ascertained break, put it in plaster and gave me crutches, by which time a friend had arrived to get me home.

at some point I came to and a lady from a cafe was tipping a sugar packet into my mouth, bless her.

I saw a post earlier on here talking about that her and her husband had the sickness bug going about and they thought they may need an ambulance but because of the government they didn't want to call one and it turned out fine, so they didn't need one in first place did they.

My 2yr old had a seizure last Wednesday evening. It took 12 mins to connect to 999, to be told 6hours wait. so I offered to drive him. The woman sounded shocked I suggested it and kept repeating to be safe. Luckily I had the car but I don’t even remember the drive there.
A few hours later when ds had come round, I went to find a vending machine & saw there were 8 ambulances outside -desperate to leave but still waiting to unload. i just felt sad.

And people who need one but can't afford it would be put off by calling at all, and potentially become more ill or even die in the process.

If you have a chronic illness, just how many lots of £50 can you absorb?

I'm signing off for the night.

All these people giving reasonable situations when they're called an ambulance, my post obviously isn't about you and the people it is about won't be admitting to it.

Let's hope the strikes are successful and our vile government get overthrown soon!

@Pelo22 what if you have no one to drive you and you have no family
There are lots of people in this position
When my 90 year old nans falls , she can't hop surprisingly
Where we live taxis have to be booked days in advance

An elderly man over a three year period had called for an ambulance average 94 times a year. He was taken to court. Carried on doing it so back to court and threatened with prison. They did liaise with his family to try to solve the problems

You hop on one leg
That's what I did anyway. Hopped to the car, driven to hospital, broken ankle and foot, snapped ligaments

Driven by someone who wasn't you, presumably. Not everyone has another person around to do that.

That's super but if you knew ambulance service you'd know they would not transport people into A&e unless they had priority urgent health need
And the ambulance service would downgrade them and advise them differently

A £47k charged for that (£50 per time) might have focused his family's minds a little. It's the only way to stop such timewasters, IMO.

How is it his familys fault. How would you like it if you were punished for a parents or siblings behaviour.

If you have a chronic illness, just how many lots of £50 can you absorb?

Could easily be set up so there are exceptions for people with conditions where they might need an ambulance frequently. Not rocket science.

Funnily enough, last bout of pneumonia few weeks ago, a couple of posters on here told me to go to A&E.

if I had needed to go - which I totally didn't - I'd have got a cab, no worries. (Though I would feel the need to tell the cabbie the truth in case they caught it, give them the option to say no). But I think the categories are a bit odd. If you can't move, you need an ambulance.

Broken bones that are used in walking seem like an ambulance basic to me.

Well aware not everyone has someone to drive them, I generally don't but my dad had actually just left me about 3 minutes before I fell down 2 flights of stairs thankfully

Just answering the actual question that was asked of how you get to a car/taxi to get to hospital without an ambulance with a broken ankle. Some people don't have anyone, lots of people ring an ambulance and then "follow behind" in the car

Totally agree with you
Ambulance service should not be misused by those who can get a taxi. Or have no priority need by they screen for those anyway.

I just disagree with the strike by ambulance service union and I am a union affiliated HCP
As it caused harm to the most vulnerable who have needed ambulances today.
I totally agree better pay better conditions but this was not well thought out

Tough. If he's not capable of living alone without abusing services then he shouldn't be living alone and they should do something about that.

And what about where well meaning members of the public call an ambulance for you, despite the patient protesting.
Or where a patient wakes up in A&E with no idea how they ended up there?

£4.7k! Bad typo. 🤣🤣🤣