40-hour ambulance waits

[rik sherman]

A couple of reasons, but primarily we don’t have a massive shortage of ambulances, and throwing more nurses at it won’t solve the problem. We have an aging population and we don’t have enough hospital beds for everyone.
We really need at least 40 new hospitals (not redecorated wards, but actual new hospitals). Of course, this takes time and costs money, so it’s unlikely to happen. If one PM signs off on the building of 1 new hospital, we’ll probably have 3 more PMs before it is off the planning phase.

I'd also add to this a lot of our military nurses and doctors are already working daily in NHS hospitals both on wards and in A&E as part of 'keeping their hand in' especially after the closure of many (all??) of our military hospitals.

[SimonMac]

I've told the wife, if anything happens, just do a "Trainspotting". Just get a taxi to dump me on the pavement outside the hospital.

Anything, so like a paper cut, a bad mood, you've lost your car keys?

So rather than go through the triage process of either 999 or 111 you assume you are the most important person and bypass the various stages to be told at A&E you could have been sorted at a pharmacy or a minor injuries unit thus causing the type of delay you are trying to avoid happening to someone else.

I've spent a lot of time in hospital over the past three weeks, the ambulance crew who blue lighted my wife were flawless, the hospital staff compassionate, every time I walked passed A&E there was a white board which had the number of people in the department and the average wait (7-9 hours).

There are lots of problems with the NHS, getting people to remembering A&E doesn't stand for anything and everything is one of them

[vetran]

Youngest is susceptible to tonsillitis and we use 111, the doctors and out of hours doctors. Now we just phone up and get anti biotics as needed.

Remote services are pretty good if offered.

[DealorNoDeal]

Anything, so like a paper cut, a bad mood, you've lost your car keys?

So rather than go through the triage process of either 999 or 111 you assume you are the most important person and bypass the various stages to be told at A&E you could have been sorted at a pharmacy or a minor injuries unit thus causing the type of delay you are trying to avoid happening to someone else.

I've spent a lot of time in hospital over the past three weeks, the ambulance crew who blue lighted my wife were flawless, the hospital staff compassionate, every time I walked passed A&E there was a white board which had the number of people in the department and the average wait (7-9 hours).

There are lots of problems with the NHS, getting people to remembering A&E doesn't stand for anything and everything is one of them

If you'd seen Trainspotting, you'd get it was meant as a joke.

[Whorty]

That'll come in handy for easing your passage etc.

I did wonder why she carries a pillow around with her ...

[Whorty]

I'd also add to this a lot of our military nurses and doctors are already working daily in NHS hospitals both on wards and in A&E as part of 'keeping their hand in' especially after the closure of many (all??) of our military hospitals.

I didn't know that ... so even with the military helping out we are still short of nurses. The NHS really is in the dark brown creek ...

[courtg9000]

Some here know of my failing health... etc.
My policy is to just go to A&E now if it is serious.
No point calling for help at home ie Ambulance, NHS 111 etc.

[psychocandy]

Mrs is a nurse and used to work for the ambulance service so a different perspective. A LOT of timewasters.

She'd regularly get calls from people demanding an ambulance because "its not my job to get to the hospital thats what you lot are for". She'd advise people its better to take someone in the car and they'd say "not my job" and then leave nanna on the pavement for 10 hours. She'd tell me she'd say "so is there anyone who can give you a lift - friend, family etc" They'd answer NO.

The ambulance service in a lot of cases then paid for taxis to bring them in. Cheaper than an ambulance after all. Then they moan "yeh but what about a taxi home?"

[DealorNoDeal]

Mrs is a nurse and used to work for the ambulance service so a different perspective. A LOT of timewasters.

Having watched "999 - What's your emergency" on Ch4, that's the impression I got. Same with the Police.

[vetran]

Mrs is a nurse and used to work for the ambulance service so a different perspective. A LOT of timewasters.

She'd regularly get calls from people demanding an ambulance because "its not my job to get to the hospital thats what you lot are for". She'd advise people its better to take someone in the car and they'd say "not my job" and then leave nanna on the pavement for 10 hours. She'd tell me she'd say "so is there anyone who can give you a lift - friend, family etc" They'd answer NO.

The ambulance service in a lot of cases then paid for taxis to bring them in. Cheaper than an ambulance after all. Then they moan "yeh but what about a taxi home?"

how do you fix that?