ChatterBank1 min ago
Not a question, but an update...
16 Answers
I'm trying to follow the rules by not posting this in Q & P, but hope that the people that previously expressed an interest will see this here...
My dear friend Anne recently had an op to remove the rest of the tumour from her lung. It was - so they think - a success!
She's still in hospital, having had all the post-op paraphernalia removed, but has picked up an infection at the entry point of the op. She's on antibiotics for that & apart from being in some pain, she's doing well. Her spirits are up (she's got an I-pod to play with), though she's bored with hospital routine!
I'll be happy to keep posting updates if they're wanted.
Thanks & luv from Anne & Lie-in King!
My dear friend Anne recently had an op to remove the rest of the tumour from her lung. It was - so they think - a success!
She's still in hospital, having had all the post-op paraphernalia removed, but has picked up an infection at the entry point of the op. She's on antibiotics for that & apart from being in some pain, she's doing well. Her spirits are up (she's got an I-pod to play with), though she's bored with hospital routine!
I'll be happy to keep posting updates if they're wanted.
Thanks & luv from Anne & Lie-in King!
Answers
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It's me again! Just want to quickly try and explain how ambulance responses work. My husband is a Paramedic Team Leader (doing 12hr shifts Sat, Sun & Mon) so I know what I'm talking about.
Firstly and most importantly they are understaffed, but this is what happens when a 999 call comes in.
Usually ambulances keep to their own county, but can cross borders in certain circumstances. The first available ambulance will be despatched, no matter if it's 20 miles away. They will continue to the scene unless another ambulance, nearer to the address, becomes available and in that case the call will be passed to the 2nd vehicle and the 1st vehicle will be stood down and so become 'clear' for the next job. The managers are only interested in 'response times' which are ideally 8 minutes or as near as. Obviously the service is flogged to death by 'time wasters' for one thing, but nobody really knows the degree of urgency until they arrive on scene.
Overtime is compulsory if you happen to be on a job when it's 'knocking off' time - hard luck. If your shift is 6 - 6 either days or nights, you might still be called out at 5.50 and have to see the job through to it's conclusion, no matter how long it may take. VERY rarely does any crew finish work on time, so 12hrs is the MINIMUM shift time here in Leicestershire. It makes for a very long and tiring day, both physically and mentally - you would not believe the things that the crews have to do and see and cope with. If it is on your rota to work Xmas you only get single time wage, same goes for bank holidays. Extra is only paid in these instances if you are willing to work them as overtime.
Just thought you would like to hear the other side of the story.
Firstly and most importantly they are understaffed, but this is what happens when a 999 call comes in.
Usually ambulances keep to their own county, but can cross borders in certain circumstances. The first available ambulance will be despatched, no matter if it's 20 miles away. They will continue to the scene unless another ambulance, nearer to the address, becomes available and in that case the call will be passed to the 2nd vehicle and the 1st vehicle will be stood down and so become 'clear' for the next job. The managers are only interested in 'response times' which are ideally 8 minutes or as near as. Obviously the service is flogged to death by 'time wasters' for one thing, but nobody really knows the degree of urgency until they arrive on scene.
Overtime is compulsory if you happen to be on a job when it's 'knocking off' time - hard luck. If your shift is 6 - 6 either days or nights, you might still be called out at 5.50 and have to see the job through to it's conclusion, no matter how long it may take. VERY rarely does any crew finish work on time, so 12hrs is the MINIMUM shift time here in Leicestershire. It makes for a very long and tiring day, both physically and mentally - you would not believe the things that the crews have to do and see and cope with. If it is on your rota to work Xmas you only get single time wage, same goes for bank holidays. Extra is only paid in these instances if you are willing to work them as overtime.
Just thought you would like to hear the other side of the story.
Apologies to paross & And... for missing their posts. I do appreciate that the service is understaffed, underpaid & under-equipped - you're right, the one we finally got had to come to E Sussex from Surrey. That would have been ok, had not the operator kept informing us that it was "just down the road" or " 5 minutes away"!
I believe that if the people manning the phones were told to be (or able to be??) honest about response times, the people they're going to help would be more lenient.
The two guys that turned up moaned not one jot when they had to spend 45 minutes with my friend, before taking him to hospital - where he still is, so he needed to be there! I've had to call many ambulances in the past & on the whole, they've been absolutely brilliant - this was a blip & I can't - & won't - blame the crew that arrived.
I believe that if the people manning the phones were told to be (or able to be??) honest about response times, the people they're going to help would be more lenient.
The two guys that turned up moaned not one jot when they had to spend 45 minutes with my friend, before taking him to hospital - where he still is, so he needed to be there! I've had to call many ambulances in the past & on the whole, they've been absolutely brilliant - this was a blip & I can't - & won't - blame the crew that arrived.
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