Ambulances?

[Fiona59]

I just have to ask. Whenever I read the UK papers on line, there are always complaints about how long it took for the ambulance to arrive.

Don't people just get a ride from a family member to hospital? I know if I was in labour, I wouldn't wait for an ambulance, I'd find a ride.

Here in my province an ambulance trip (even if you are in an accident) results in a $350 invoice. It's mostly paid by employee benefit insurance. But still calling an ambulance is about the last way I'd get to hospital.

[5cats]

How long does it take:

Always depends on, a) how busy it is (recently it's mad here in the Southeast) and b) how urgent it is, c) city/countryside and time of the day. Sometimes you're just stuck in the traffic.

My impression of patients here, many are just expecting free service for everything, some are to cheap to pay a taxi for instance. I see people walking from an ambulance into A&E. That's the problem when you have free healthcare, lots of abuse.

5cats

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

The government does set a target but very hard to maintain when it gets abused so much. I was in a severe asthma attack and really should have gotten my mum to ring for a ambulance but knowing the situation I got my mum to drive the 15 mins to the local A&E department

[honey75]

The government has set targets in which an ambulance has to be at the scene within 8 mins. The majority 78% do.

http://www.ic.nhs.uk/news-and-events/press-office/press-releases/june-2008/more-ambulance-services-than-ever-before-reach-life-threatening-incidents-within-target-time

The problem is abuse. Recently a report was issued showing reasons why ambulances were called. This included a cut finger, not able to get a taxi after a night out and a scratch from a cat.......

[Billy Shears]

Unfortunately a lot of people in the UK believe that it is their right to have an ambulance to hospital and then home again. I had a pt recently who was complaining about waiting when she had come into A&E "for a days investigations". She had called 999, asymptomatic, and expected an ambulance home.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Used to scare me the reasons people would ring 999 and not just for a ambulance, police and fire would also be abused. The excuses you would hear was shocking and people like this should be made to pay

[karenG]

my BiL is a paramedic.. over christmas he had calls for several reasons.. one lady had lost her remote control for the tv and wanted the paramedics to find it; he got called by a drunk who wanted a lift home because he had no money for a taxi. they got called to a stabbing and couldnt get out of the ambulance to attend the victim because of the mob that surrounded the ambulance and threatened to kill him if he got out of the ambulance.

the abuse of the system is staggering!

[Scott33, BSN, EMT-P]

the abuse of the system is staggering!

Indeed.

I was still surprised to read however, that over New Years Eve, London Ambulance Service reported that they received 1 emergency call, EVERY 7 SECONDS!

Link

The simple fact of the matter is, that people are the reason people have to wait for ambulances.

BTW, the 8 minute target response only applies to category A calls (most life-threatening)

[haras regnurps]

almost good to hear that other parts of the world have the same problems that we have in the states.

Are all of your ambulances run by the goverment and a part of the health system or are they privately owned.

In the states there is a combination of services and it really depends on where you live. I live in a rather small town and we depend on a volunteer squad to respond and this is not always optimal to say the least.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

There are a few private ambulances but not used in the same way, more for moving stable patients most is run by Trusts/Government and part of the health system. This I think is one of the reasons why it gets abused as much, if they had to pay may be a different matter. Saying that if you are involved in a road traffic accident you can be billed for both the ambulance and treatment in hospital as I once found out

[District46]

I worked today in A & E and it was a really lovely, sunny day. Strangely, the department wasn't nearly as busy as it is on the miserable rainy days. Just more proof that people obviously had better things to do today than come and get those 'emergencys' seen to!!!!

[Higgs]

I remember working an A+E years ago and people would call for an ambulance after they had left a nightclub and arrive at the hospital, only to get out of the vehicle and walk across the road to their home. They had no taxi money, so they used an ambulance...