Would you make a complaint about these paramedics?

[WatermelonWaveclub]

I went to my GP the other day as I kept fainting when coughing. The GP said my HR was sky high. Then I coughed and fainted in front of the GP. Afterwards I couldn't move my legs properly. She phoned the hospital who said I need an ambulance. The GP got someone to get me in a wheelchair and take me to the nurse's room where I was put on a bed in a cubicle.

Anyway a few minutes later the ambulance crew turn up (3 of them). They did an ECG - ok but tachycardic. I said my legs were feeling ok by then. They did a lying and standing BP and checked I could feel both sides of my face, could hold both arms up, checked pupils etc. So they say they need to take me to hospital. They start heading off and so I follow them on foot. They're all walking ahead of me, chatting away, not one seeing if I'm ok. So consequently we get into the car park - I have a coughing fit and next thing I know I'm waking up on the car park floor.

I can't stop thinking about it. Were they at fault? Should they have used a wheelchair or at least someone walked with me? At the hospital they wouldn't even let me go to my scans etc in a wheelchair, I had to be taken in my bed. So if GP and nurse wouldn't let me walk was it right that the paramedics did?

They were neglectful I think.

When I fainted in the hospital as a visitor the HCA linked my arm and walked me outside. I wasn't even an inpatient. It's common sense you'd even do as a non-medical person

No, but they can be disciplined or sacked by their employer. They are held to the same code of conduct, it's just that their employer is responsible, not a registering body.

I know - what an inconvenience I was 'randomly' fainting!! 😂

My df was poorly last year, when the ambulance came the crew checked his blood pressure and it was really low.
The crew wouldn’t let him move one step without support and used a wheelchair to take him to the ambulance which was right outside his front door.

Your ambulance crew were pretty negligent imo.

Hi OP

I'm absolutely not making excuses for the crew, just taking you through my thought process.

Without having been there, from what I've read it's not how I personally would have acted. I think I'd have let you walk (few reasons for this) but I absolutely would have been beside you.

Third person was very probably a student. The PP earlier is talking about non emergency transport. All front line 999 ambulances have at least an EMT on board. Most have a paramedic these days

I'm very sorry you felt dismissed. That's not up to standard at all. I really hope you're doing better, please feel free to ask me anything.

OP do return and tell us what response you get regarding your report of your unprofessional treatment . It sounds as as they were to engrossed in their own concerns and conversation to consider your needs.

Thank you. I was a medic and with a wheelchair right there, not using it was stupid and dumb. Not holding your arm if they wanted you to walk was stupid and dumb. I don't care if there were three or twenty-three medics there. There is a standard of care and they not only dropped the ball, they ripped it to shreds.

Medics = doctors?

It doesn't take THREE people to get a chair or stretcher. One medic stays with the patient and the other two can go get what is needed.

Man alive, MNers will make excuses for ANYONE it seems; except for husbands or step-parents. FFS!

I can't get over the fact that they were there within 'a few minutes'.

When my DH had a stroke it took the ambulance crew 1hr 40 minutes to arrive. I think you were incredibly lucky someone came to be honest.

And my 94 year old aunt waited over 4 hours lying outside on the pavement with a broken shoulder for an ambulance to arrive.

Sue them. See if you can get them sacked.

Yes I think I would complain in a 'highlighting/ constructive' way as you have said. I think some people hear that someone wants to make a medical complaint and immediately think you're going to try and sue for money. It in my not zero, but not substantial knowledge it was bad judgement and they failed in their duty

Those saying she is luck they turned up at all, that should not be the standard you should be aiming for

Third person was very probably a student. The PP earlier is talking about non emergency transport. All front line 999 ambulances have at least an EMT on board. Most have a paramedic these days

I can PROMISE you that the SJA crews covering NHS 999 shifts are 95% crewed by EACs, a large proportion volunteers. SJA are the ambulance auxiliary and act as NHS ambulances on those jobs. But they don’t have techs and only a handful of paramedics.

Wow - so many would be grateful to be left by ambulance crew to bash their head on a car park floor. What fantastic standards we hold them to ay?

I guess OP was lucky she was allowed IN the ambulance? And that she didn't have to run behind it?

FFS! The OP has zero, zilch, nada, nil fault in ANY of it! THEY were the "supposed" professionals who were anything BUT! At the very least, they need a report in their files and retraining or suspension.

No wonder the health care field is in deep shit. People actually blaming PATIENTS for lack of care and giving zero accountability to the ones in charge of patient safety. facepalm

Can you please stop talking nonsense?

A non emergency crew would not be sent to this type of call.

The majority of ambulance crews are not non emergency.

My dh collapsed in similar circumstances. He was wheeled to the ambulance. I definitely would have expected someone to have at least walked at the side of you, no disrespect but are you sure they just expected you to follow them and they weren't going back to the ambulance to get a wheelchair and going to come back for you? I hope you are OK now.

Also, Paramedics do not need "2 years post qualification" to register. We register immediately. Its takes 2 years to progress to band 6 within an ambulance service. For those 2 years you are a Newly Qualified Paramedic. But you are still registered.

It’s not nonsense.

Thank you! I was truly beginning to despair of the human race!

We would have been suspended or fired for the direct lack of patient care. Probably why none of us would've ever, EVER, been so irresponsible.

I am shocked that some posters here haven't chided the OP for not starting her own IV, taking her own BP and doing her own 12-lead! facepalm

I don't agree with this as I we are taught not to catch people as they fall, as you can end up injured. If a patient says their legs are OK then I'd let them walk, but I would walk beside them.

Posters saying OP was lucky anyone at all turned up ect ect - do you feel ''lucky'' if a teacher turns up to teach your kids in the morning?

Or that if just anyone old person turned up - and maybe leaves the kids to go and have a chat - that we should be grateful anyway?

Why are we excusing medical staff in the face of such shite care?

An I can PROMISE you that they won't be being sent to higher category calls.

https://www.sja.org.uk/press-centre/press-releases/st-john-commissioned-as-the-nations-ambulance-auxiliary/

they cover cat 1-4 calls.

Are you sure they didn’t go to get a stretcher and turned round to see that you have followed them?