Paramedics made my father go to hospital

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My father has atrial fibrillation. He has had this for years.

He has been told multiple times what to do in the case of an episode of AF. Today, he had one while I was visiting. It took a long time to pass, so in line with his consultant’s plan my mother called 999, after the usual medications had been given at home.

In the time it took for the paramedics to arrive, the attack passed and when they did arrive, it had been nearly an hour since it had ended.

They still made him go to hospital as they “couldn’t rule out a heart attack”, despite my father insisting that he knows his body, knows what an AF episode feels like and knows when it has passed. All he wanted was to go to bed and sleep off the effects of the beta blockers he had taken.

They still essentially made him go to hospital, saying that they would make him sign forms if he didn’t which showed he had refused medical advice. I was present and the paramedics essentially made it sound as though he would be at the back of the queue if it returned and he needed an ambulance again.

Fast forward 10 hours and he’s still in hospital, no doctors available to read his ECG or his blood test results, and he’s been sleeping in a hard plastic chair. AIBU to think this is ridiculous? Paramedics really shouldn’t be encouraging patients to attend hospital when it’s not necessary.

Exactly! Sometimes the treatment is responsible for making people deteriorate.

Because thankfully he was stable. Yes the waits are too long because of years of funding cuts but the staff are doing their best. If something had happened he was in the right place and as the family know so much better they could have taken him home at any point.

They have to follow protocol otherwise they may have to go through an investigation and potentially lose their job and livelihood. If you don't want them involved then don't call them out.

How did they know he was stable? They just left him alone sitting there!

Yep don't they?

The ambulance attended, said everything looked normal, and it was “his choice” whether he went in or not

So why didn't he make that choice?

Paramedics have nothing to do with that their care and responsibility ends when he is passed over to the hospital

Even the op had admitted they did observations!

Exactly - so who cares if the paramedics say it? Thank them for their advice, and say that they’ve heard your father’s decision and are now putting pressure on that you feel is inappropriate. There were 3 competent adults there, no one made you do anything.
If the paramedic said “an ambulance will not be sent if you call again” then complain. But you said they merely suggested that at first, so I imagine it was more “you don’t know how long you might have to wait if you need to call us back” which is an accurate statement about ambulance waiting times.

Sorry, I straight up don't believe that they said that.

That’s because she is obviously changing the story to try to get people onside. It’s gone from a suggestion to outright saying it!

Knowing him it wouldn’t surprise me! He’s on blood thinners so that would be a bloody big mess too!

It just makes no sense. He’s spent a whole day there just to be told what he already knew. What a waste of resources

And I am quite certain they didn't say that at all. You said several times "implied" and "insinuated" which points at your interpretation. What they really said, I'm afraid, we'll never know. Quite possibly that if they leave, and it turns out to be a heart attack, it might take a while for the ambulance to get to him (as, indeed, was the case first time round). Which you then took as dispatcher refusing to arrange another ambulance henceforth and forevermore.

We will be putting in a complaint to the ambulance service and to the hospital.

I don’t get why he didn’t just sign the form if he and you were so sure.
A neighbour called an ambulance for me last year for my MH. So they came and said thet wanted to take me up hospital but I refused as I knew hospital would just send me home again as they do every bloody time.
I just signed the form.

20 minutes of continuous chest pain at any point within 24 hours is a symptom of a heart attack or Acute Coronary Syndrome.

He was prepared to. Then the paramedics began their bullying.

100%

You understand that you called the ambulance right? For your father with a heart condition? They came. Assessed and felt better safe than sorry. They offered you an amaform. You wouldn't sign it. Then your dad himself threw a hissy fit at the overworked emergency room staff? Now you're complaining he didn't have a heart attack.

Ridiculous complaints

Complaint about what? You called an ambulance they came, they said it was up to him but if he didn’t go in he would rightly have to sign a disclaimer. They followed policy.

You may not like that but perhaps instead of being arsey be thankful he is fine!

Bully for you.

Is there a reason you can’t go and be with him instead of whinging on here?

You said earlier they "insinuated" it which is very different from saying it. I don't understand what you're angry about tbh. The consultant said to call 999 for an ambulance to take him to hospital. You/ your mum chose to do that. Now you're mad they wanted to take him to hospital. And you're mad he wasn't seen urgently, but you didn't think he needed to be seen at all? So it would be wrong to be seen urgently. And he's home safe, having been checked out, which is what you want.
If you don't want an ambulance don't call 999. If you don't want to wait in hospital, don't wait in hospital.

Bit harsh, surely ?

More like a whine.

Agree. And now you want to waste even more of their time with a complaint.