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polymyalgia broken bones ambulance service----HELP

Posted , 4 users are following.

vanessa66630
vanessa66630

Was diagnosed with PMR 3 months ago after suffering for more than 18 months,  I am a 70 year old female. Last week I went to shaftesbury, 30 miles from home to visit friends, on arrival I had to go down some outside steps, it was wet and my foot slipped and I fell, nobody was about so I started shouting for help, just want you to know I have had 3 knee replacements and am always careful,  knew I had broken something, eventually my friend and her husband heard me they are not young and not in the best of health, they dialled 999 because  they could not help me and I could not move, a ambulance man arrived in his Volvo, he asked why he had been called as he only came for emergencies!!!, I asked if he could take me in his ambulace to local casualty, he said he was not alowed passengers because of health and safety, he also said he was not allowed to lift because of health and safety, in the end he said he would help my friends 74 year old  husband to get me up the steps to his car, this he did and for me it was so very painful, he then left and my friends husband took me to local hospital where I was X rayed and found I had a broken leg and a broken bone in my foot, I e mailed the BBc that night as they had asked only that day for anyone who had had problems with the ambulance service, I heard nothing from BBs but had reply from ambulance to say keep smiling and they would get back to me. 11 days later am in wheelchair no word from ambulance service., very frightening, what is happening to the NHS.            

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH vanessa66630

    Posted

    What he told you was quite correct about not being allowed to transport you or lift you. What he SHOULD have done was call for an ambulance back-up to transport you to hospital. It might have taken a while if all the double-manned ambulances were already in use but one should have come. The paramedic who came to you should have stabilised the leg before moving you at all.

    There is a procedure to complain about such incidents and if you put in a complaint, especially if you can tell them who you saw at the hospital, it should be processed and that paramedic have his failings pointed out to him so he doesn't do it again. What happened at the hospital will have been recorded by them and the ambulance service will know who responded to you, that is also on record. You have witnesses.

    Do go ahead with that - part of their problems in the NHS is the government who have changed things and taken away money (whatever they say) but what happened to you has nothing to do with that. My daughter is a paramedic and she sat with a lady in a similar situation waiting for an ambulance for a couple of hours a week or so ago - he should have called for back-up as she did. No excuse there.

    If you google your ambulance service you will find their website - but they all have a Complaints department! Do it now!

  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall vanessa66630

    Posted

    Dear Vanessa, what a terrible experience. I thought the whole point of sailing 999 was that you hit medical help. I am shocked that the fellow who arrived first did not ring through and inform base that an ambulance was required because to leave the situation in the hands of an unqualified friend is as good as dereliction of duty and once 999 had been dialled and a representing of the NHS arrived on the scene the NHS were bound the a 'duty of care' for the welfare of its patient. You must write a letter of complaint to the local hospital and copy in your local MP. Also I would write to the HCA as they need to know about this also.The situation you have described to me is not just unacceptable but a clear breach of ambulance, paramedic procedure and this must be highlighted. I wish you a speedy recovery. Regards, christina
  • pat38625
    pat38625 vanessa66630

    Posted

    I am so sorry you had to go through all that.  It must have been a nightmare.  Here in Belfast I have had to complain a couple of times about treatment or lack of it and also on behalf of my son and myself.  So please put pen to paper, I was able to e-mail my complaint, I don't know if you can do it.  Good luck in your recovery.
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