97 Yr old Gran waiting 8 hours for an ambulance with a broken hip!

[LoveCherryTree]

My Gran, 97 years of age, given to this country in World War, paid her taxes and NI all her life. She fell today in her home at 12pm, she has a broken hip, my Father called 999 and it is now 8pm and still no ambulance.
She can’t go to the loo as she can’t get up, my Father who has Parkinson’s and my Uncle, who has throat cancer, both in their 70’s, sitting with her.
This country is broken beyond repair, I even tried to get a private ambulance and they said that it won’t make a difference because all the front line ambulances are sat at the hospital with patients inside because they can’t get them into the hospitals….I despair, so it’s better for my 97 year old Gran to be in agony and wet herself, I just can’t believe it! Anyone know a member of parliament I can talk to about this? I’m utterly disgusted!

I think the elderly can be so bloody stubborn and won't admit their frailties. They don't want to be seen with sticks and zimmer frames . My mum is mobile but that doesn't mean she wouldn't hurt herself falling whereas a younger person might bounce . It's taking longer for old bones to heal aswell meaning more trips to fracture clinics , more X-rays., more casts etc .

Already explained that I did realise most likely cause wasn't cardiac or PE and my post wasn't well written, so not explaining again to you so go ahead abd think whatever you wish .

Other European countries also have large elderly populations yet their health services work well.
NHS has too many managers, too many pen pushers, too many people involved in devising questionnaires, too many stages to go through to get to see a consultant. The list goes on.
It needs to be deconstructed and rebuilt on a European model.

I’m so sorry op, your poor Gran☹️ I would ring again. I hope they come soon.

My friend works in A&E & she said it’s a complete shambles, made worse by the huge amount of people that absolutely shouldn’t be there. There was a young lad that had severe chest pain, ambulance brought him in & it later comes out that he’s had panic attacks for years & that this one was brought on by his ex withholding his belongings & he was upset about it.

Lots of stories like this & she said most shouldn’t be there & then people like your Gran get left☹️

The NHS in its current form is not salvageable. We need to move to a personal insurance based system before the whole thing collapses. NHS is a brilliant idea but it is no longer financially viable. It’s very sad, but true.

Lovely , does the private sector have enough beds for all the patients needing them for non surgical reasons ? Is this private health care going to be able to fix the private social care sector, remember social care is provided by private companies and not the State in the vast majority of cases, because this is ultimately where one of the biggest issues lies, if you cannot discharge someone safely then you have to keep them, regardless, otherwise you will be safeguarded to kingdom come !

I think the elderly can be so bloody stubborn and won't admit their frailties. They don't want to be seen with sticks and zimmer frames .

Sweeping generalisations much? Dear lord. Some 'elderly' are quite happy to use sticks and frames if they had been assessed by physiotherapy and offered them. Some 'elderly' don't have any idea about how to seek an assessment or even if it is necessary. Some 'elderly' will use them because they need them. There isn't much point in them being used by people who don't need them 'just in case' as retaining strength and mobility is a huge part of aging well. If you are leaning on a frame when you don't need one you will decondition which will cause more problems for you long run.

I think thats a bit offensive stereotyping to me.

Absolutely this. There’s absolutely no point chucking more billions at the NHS. It needs a total reform & rebuild.

There’s veterans living on the streets who have fought for this country. No one in Government cares about them either. No urgent help for suicidal veterans. The charity Combat stress are brilliant but there’s a wait for them too if you can manage to stay alive long enough

@LoveCherryTree we are all thinking of you and sending her our best.

only thing to say really is what has been said, is keep a watch on her symptoms and phone the ambulance again to update as soon as you can offer anything that will make the case more urgent.

I meant that itself is dire because all it is saying is 'hope she gets worse in order to make her overall situation better'. God I hate the mess we are all in. This country is a state.

The government agrees with you, that’s the plan.

Well said. Do you know how long it takes to arrange social care for elderly people who are ready to leave hospital in the UK? My only experience is when my grandmother suddenly became very ill - and that was not in the UK. She spent a week or so in hospital, and once she was deemed fit enough to leave there was a meeting with the social care coordinator in the afternoon and the next morning my grandmother was dimissed from hospital and went home with round the clock care in place. I was very impressed by how quick they managed to arrange it.

I think the elderly would be better off being treated for most things at home - my experience of very elderly (99) aunt in a care home was that at night younger inexperienced carers would call an ambulance as they’d panic at symptoms that were unfortunately inevitable. Then shipped off to A and E, week or so in hospital getting weaker/more confused, no real treatment, then back to nursing home to start the process again. The care in hospital was poor, often the same patients there, maybe they never went home! This was all with a “no extraordinary measures” approach. I’m not sure what the answer is - whole hospitals dedicated to the over 80’s maybe. I won’t be too sorry if I don't live long enough to be old!

You would think they could at least have flying paramedics to give pain relief and catheterisation for the duration of the long waits.

@LoveCherryTree you must complain. In the short term phone back and very calmly note that you will hold the service responsible for any deterioration in her well being. Email your MP now and at least it will be picked up at 8.30ish tomorrow morning by their office. Email your local councillors and publicise it on Next Door, local paper.

It's an absolute disgrace. The public locked down for the NHS during covid. They have not locked out for the public. Instead they have been on strike and been give increases above anybody else.

Kick up a stink, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

The care facility my aunt lives in has carers on site, people live in attractive flats and have care plans. It has a cafe, a beautiful sitting room, social areas and garden and activities. It is well-run and much cheaper than the grotty care home she was previously in.
Many of the medical issues could be dealt with onsite if medical support was available.
Falls that end up with minor cuts/bruises
Constipation
Upset stomachs
Infections that require broad spectrum antibiotics
Pain med adjustments

As it is what appears to happen is GPs are rung (none of the carers are medical staff). GPs do nothing or send someone who is not a GP. The residents are registered with many different GP surgeries so there is no consistency of response. Where there is no response at all carers or residents ring 111. A paramedic might then turn up - they can do some things but will not do things like give enemas or risk prescribing antibiotics so those patients are taken off to A and E.
This has happened 3x to my aunt this year and is about to happen again. She needs an enema this time- that's all.
What can't there be a hub of elderly care staff across local authority areas to deal with minor 'illness' like this? Wound care, constipation, medication care,blood testing and meds adjustment, urine infections, upset stomachs, fluids? It would stop people having to go to hospitals.
They could be treated in cubicles in a clinically cleaned area of carehomes/sheltered accomodation/ in their own rooms where possible?

Absolutely this. There’s absolutely no point chucking more billions at the NHS. It needs a total reform & rebuild.

So how much would a 97yr old with a history of falls have to pay for insurance under this new system ?

Oh I see, it’s one of those posts. 🙄🙄🙄 Don’t believe all you read in the daily mail OP.

If this is even real, I hope your gran gets help soon, just like I wish anyone in that situation does, regardless of if they have served this country or paid in. We’re all human, we all feel pain and we all need help sometimes.

The NHS is no longer fit for purpose. Alternatives need to be sought as a matter of urgency.

o hope your gran is ok @LoveCherryTree

I got hit by a car and the ambulance came in 15 mins. I assume people are having horrific accidents all the time.

You would think they could at least have flying paramedics to give pain relief and catheterisation for the duration of the long waits.

We do here. They deal with a lot of the stuff that goes with old age. I imagine it’s one of the initiatives that will be adopted as best practice and rolled out across the country. Great if you live in Cambridgeshire but not much help if you’re on the floor elsewhere.

My gran is a fucking nightmare with the sticks. She knows she needs them but just doesn't use them. She'll take them along on social occasions but leaves it laying around all over the place. I don't understand it.
She made reference to what the queen called it & can't remember what it was "came" or "stick" but anyway after she saw queen Eliza use one, she then became a little more amenable to it.
But yeh old folk don't help themselves sometimes

Nothing. The funding model is fine, it’s the delivery that needs reform.

Thankyou hattie43
Taxi cost me a tenner but it saved my life!