Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I think everyone should have a right to an ambulance regardless of the way it is inflicted. If it is deemed unnecessary then fair enough fine them, but I don't think anyone should be refused an ambulance for self inflicted reasons. What if your loved one is depressed and attempts suicide? THAT is self inflicted but nobody in their right mind would say they don't deserve an ambulance.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

Perhaps we could each have an ambulance on stand-by, in case we cut our finger on a tin can say, and need to get to Casualty in a hurry, to have a plaster stuck on it.

Wouldn't really be very economic though.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

Read my post again, I said if it is deemed unnecessary then fair enough fine them.

Anyone have any idea what the current fine is for using the ambulance service when you don't need it? Bet it's more than a taxi.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I know if an ambulance gets called to the Ice arena for an injury, then the person gets charged.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I remember the good old days of Friday/Saturday nights in A&E, with the Ambulance crews bringing in drunks who see Ambulances as free taxis. These so-called patients used to receive very special treatment in A&E.:):rolleyes: It's a pity that the days of special treatments are gone, unfortunately though, the Ambulances are still abused by these people.

It's funny but I have a mate who works in Brisbane. Pregnant women make their own way to hospital there unless it is an emergency. Some of them live 200 miles away, as many large hospitals are regional rather than local (a bit like what our government is trying to do to us):(.

As said earlier, women have several months to prepare for labour, whether they are with a partner or not. They are given money towards the cost of having their baby with the Surestart Grant. They have no excuse for misusing Ambulance services when they receive this money which will more than adequately cover the cost of transport.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I rang my auntie when i was in labour and asked her to take me to the hospital cos it happened to be the night my mum went out for a drink (it was her birthday) she beeped her horn outside and took me to asda and made me push her trolley around while she did her shopping then told me i wasnt far enough gone and took me home!!!

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I went into hospital just after New Year. I had been ill for 3 weeks and the GP, on his 2nd visit, suspected pneumonia, which was correct (and it also turned out I had a bit of heart trouble). He simply told my daughter to get me to hospital by car a.s.a.p and I had to get up out of bed, get dressed and go. By the time I had staggered into A & E I was almost collapsing and had to be put on a trolley and given oxygen. At no time was an ambulance suggested and I did wonder, when I was beginning to recover, just how ill you have to be to qualify. :(

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

Nhs direct do suggest that you try to get a lift to hospital but to call an ambulance if you cant.

I have an ex that was always saying he was really ill when there was nothing wrong with him... once he started complaining about stomach pains and i didnt believe him, he told me to ring an ambulance and i said i wasnt wasting their time on him and said that if he wanted to go to hospital he could call a taxi but i werent paying for it or going with him........ a few hours later i got a call from the hospital telling me he was going into theatre and that he had perforated his bowel and could have died!


In my defence.... i am a peadiatric first aider and a child would have got an ambulance :D

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

How is that a defense :p I hope he learned his lesson. Someone should've read him the story of the boy who cried wolf when he was a child.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

yeah, its a pants defence....... i am a peadiatric first aider and a regular first aider.

But id rung ambulances for him before for nothing and i werent gunna do it again.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

What this fellow did was a disgrace, and some of the opinions here are not much better, a woman having a baby for the first time (and I know this woman wasnt a first timer), should be entitled if in any doubt to ring for an ambulance, information is the key, I have witnessed several labours, but was only informed fairly recently that the childbearer should be having contractions no more than 17 minutes apart, prior to this info, I had no idea that there were ideal times to wait to, my current partner had a baby within 33 minutes of first having any pain, if I had put her in the car and crashed the car trying to get to hospital quickly, how many people could be put in danger? Drunken people should be allowed to call an ambulance also, or the police call it for them, if somebody is incapable of looking after themselves, then care should be forthcoming, especially in these days of drugs, spiked drinks etc, if an ambulance is called without due cause, then a bill should be issued, if there may be an issue with false calls putting somebody in danger, then as usual these days for the health service it means cutbacks have left not enough ambulances/staff on standby to cover demand.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

What is the difference between a Paediatric first aider and a Regular first aider?

'Magic cream'?

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

paediatric first aiders are taught to recognise child hood illness' and things that are typical to children such as febrile convulsions.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

I don't feel we are fed enough information Derek as to just when we need an ambulance. Logically, when a condition is life-threatening; but not everybody understands this, and think it is their right to 'phone for minor things. Lots of people don't 'phone either when they should have.

Think it would be a good idea to have a little campaign to educate us. It shows on this thread that none of us are too sure of the whys and wherefores.

Re: Mum in labour told to walk home
 

You should ring NHS direct if you aren't sure whether it is ambulance worthy. Saying that, I rang them when I had tonsilitis (before it was diagnosed) as I couldn't swallow and obviously felt very unwell. She just said drink if I can and it'll just go away. Glad it wasn't something more serious