Ambulance service of the future...

If you could change one thing about the current ambulance service- what would it be?

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Nothing the ambulance crews down here are great. I don't often use them prefering to get to A&E by car stagger in nebbing on O2 and sort of collapse in a heap, not advised I am totally potty and usually get a massive ear bashing once I am feeling better.

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Give them a pay rise because they are a godsend! There is one guy who has picked me up on several occasions and he knows exactly what's what when they arrive, which really puts my mind at ease when I have such a long and complicated list of allergies!

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If not changed since 2001, I'd hope the service would be quicker and have more of an idea where they are going.

2001, fell in the grounds of hospital breaking a leg. I phoned 999. Ambulance base about 500 yds up the road behind me. Took them half an hour to find me despite my clear directions re dept I was outside etc. Should just have requested the crew turn left and ahead of them, there would be a lady sitting in the snow. D'oh!

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well, as many of you know -I'm terrified of ambulances, and will literally do anything to get to hospital without one! However it is a completly irrational fear, as out of the three I've had, 2 of them have been fab,! I just had a one off incident with the paramedic refusing to take my oxygen sats saying i was hyperventalating because 'with asthma there must be a wheeze'. It was only when one of my friends started shouting that I was turning blue that he reaslised, fortunatly in the nick of time, but not preventing me ending up in ICU for a good week. However the other two ambulances were fabulous! One of which came to see how I was on the ward twice in his breaks. So perhaps I'm just being really picky! and should stop being so stubborn with ambulances! (and 2bf I tend to wheeze loudly now as my asthmas slowely gaining more controll)

So to make sure its a well know fact you can get a scilent chest while having an asthma attack - check my oxygen sats!!

But mainly lets thank them for the amazing work them do and the countless amount of people that have lived because of them!

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Nothing - I've needed several ambulances over the past year both for asthma and other medical issues - every time, despite my huge levels of anxiety with anything medical - they have been fantastic, supportive, and have helped to put me at ease.

The only thing I would change would be for the doctors in A&E to sometimes take them more seriously. I've had a time where my GP has called an ambulance from the surgery, the ambulance people have begun to treat me and given some relief from my symptoms and for the A&E docs then to turn round and say I'm OK even despite the protests from the ambulance people that I definitely wasn't when they got to me and that what they have done will wear off.

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The only thhing i would change is there pay checks i would triple them they are the life savers i couldnt thank the men in green enough they have been brilliant with me and always evn when cant breathe put a smile on my face when they say were going to get you better and when they have phoned ahead when my asthma has been that bad they ring and a team await me in resus couldnt ask for anything more just wish they got more respect

[yaf_user681_25820]

A no aftershave or perfume rule!!

Had trip to hospital sat night, both crew wore aftershave and made me worse! when came home sunday(dr triggered me then said go home you can manage there) the aftershave was there to greet me triggering me one again, that was after the lift did and the smoker whilst waiting for a taxi.

BUT what would we do without the ""men in green"" ? local crew know me well and get treaed at home but always take me to hospital, but now the control room has moved some crews come a distance.

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As an A&E doc…

Nothing they are amazing. They do an amazing job in often exceptionally difficult circumstances. They have to pick up people out of the most gruesome circumstances, deal with the Saturday night drunks, put little old ladies back to bed and assess & treat very poorly patients plus a zillion other things. I have a nice cosy hospital department to treat patients in, they have a baked bean can on wheels! I have a huge amount of respect for paramedics plus they are invariably a good laugh too.

With regards to paramedics/docs wearing perfume. I appreciate Wheezers point, but I wear perfume all the time and have no intention of stopping. I do not bathe in it and it can only be smelt when I lean over people when patients often say ‘you smell nice dear’ (usually little old ladies!) I have never been told by anybody that it has caused them a problem and I think that in a profession where you get very close to people it’s important to smell nice!

STX

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But you have to respect paitents that it is a trigger for and make there asthma alot worse and is a major trigger like wheezer1 just cause people havent come across it doesnt make it right

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Kerry-Anne. I completly agree, it can be a problem & if I was told it was an issue for an certain person I would of course refrain from wearing perfume untill I had no further contact with them. That is a taken & sorry if it came across any other way. Just not sure generic banning if perfumes/aerosals us the answer!

Surely the chemicals used to clean the floors are more of an issue out of interest than individual perfumes??

Sorry for thread jacking!

Xx

[yaf_user681_25820]

Everytjhing is a problem,but as ambuance people have made my asthma a lot worse for wearing it, they do come quite close, but its also shampoo smells, washing powder smells,smoking smells, along with chemicals etc.Would like to think that would feel safe once called for an ambulance!!

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Making it clear when to call an ambulance. And what counts as an emergency.

So people know when to ring for one.