Refused an ambulance

[Cyclone 10]

I think this is diabolical and should be investigated. Surely the operator on the telephone didn't have the person's medical history and it could have been very serious ( I was thinking blood clot too ) If I was you I would take this further.

 

They never have the medical history for anyone, so on that basis are you arguing that everyone who asks for one should be given an ambulance?

[Daven 10]

What really annoys me is the money spent on medicars ferrying people to and from out patients appointments. I know they are run by volunteers but they are paid expenses which must amount to a lot of money. A neighbour of mine always insisted on having one on her many hospital visits even though she was more than able to catch a bus ( catching a bus never stopped her going out to visit friends or go shopping ) A service which I think could be dispensed with.

 

Medicars are only supposed to be given to people who have mobility problems that prevent them from using public transport . The assessment process for eligibility should be carried out by a suitably trained person and is supposed to be quite rigorous.

I believe that this assessment process is up for review and will be tightened up to exclude folk, like your neighbour, who appear perfectly able to get on the bus.

I don't believe that the service should be dispensed with as there are those who genuinely in need of it - the driver should always ensure the passenger gets to the correct department once in the hospitals and assist the passenger into their house if they have steps which is not a service a taxi would provide.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Daven

[Stomp 10]

What really annoys me is the money spent on medicars ferrying people to and from out patients appointments. I know they are run by volunteers but they are paid expenses which must amount to a lot of money. A neighbour of mine always insisted on having one on her many hospital visits even though she was more than able to catch a bus ( catching a bus never stopped her going out to visit friends or go shopping ) A service which I think could be dispensed with.

 

And you clearly know your neighbours medical problems, and their ability to get to the hospital via public transport?

 

My father suffers from a chronic illness, which can be worse on some days. Today he could be walking the dog, but tomorrow he might not be able to get out of bed. He receives the higher DLA, and the mobility component too.

 

He would not be able to utilise public transport as I doubt very much that they would pull over for him if he needed them to for any one of the many conditions he has.

 

So stop judging others when you know nothing about them.

[Gazza58 10]

Medicars are only supposed to be given to people who have mobility problems that prevent them from using public transport . The assessment process for eligibility should be carried out by a suitably trained person and is supposed to be quite rigorous.

I believe that this assessment process is up for review and will be tightened up to exclude folk, like your neighbour, who are perfectly able to get on the bus.

I don't believe that the service should be dispensed with as there are those who genuinely in need of it - the driver should always ensure the passenger gets to the correct department once in the hospitals and assist the passenger into their house if they have steps which is not a service a taxi would provide.

 

Totally correct,also the only expences claimed are the petrol used.

[francypants 441]

And you clearly know your neighbours medical problems, and their ability to get to the hospital via public transport?

 

 

 

 

 

So stop judging others when you know nothing about them.

 

Yes I certainly do know my neighbours medical problems because she's related to me and isn't just a neighbour.

 

---------- Post added 06-02-2013 at 14:38 ----------

 

Medicars are only supposed to be given to people who have mobility problems that prevent them from using public transport . The assessment process for eligibility should be carried out by a suitably trained person and is supposed to be quite rigorous.

I believe that this assessment process is up for review and will be tightened up to exclude folk, like your neighbour, who appear perfectly able to get on the bus.

I don't believe that the service should be dispensed with as there are those who genuinely in need of it - the driver should always ensure the passenger gets to the correct department once in the hospitals and assist the passenger into their house if they have steps which is not a service a taxi would provide.

 

Yes I know that Medicars should only be provided for people who can't use public transport, that was my point, obviously the correct checks are not being done. The medicars which came for my neighbour often had several people in them so how is the driver supposed to escort them all to different departments ?

[Cyclone 10]

Yes I certainly do know my neighbours medical problems because she's related to me and isn't just a neighbour.

 

---------- Post added 06-02-2013 at 14:38 ----------

 

 

You refer to a relative as "my neighbour", not "my aunt/uncle/sister/brother/mother/father/cousin"?

[francypants 441]

Totally correct,also the only expences claimed are the petrol used.

Exactly, and we all know the cost of petrol nowadays.

My point being that there are medicars ferrying people to and from hospital who don't need the service, my neighbour had a car on motobility and a carer who was licensed to drive the car, but she always insisted on a medicar for hospital appointments ! She can't be the only one misusing the system.

 

---------- Post added 06-02-2013 at 14:49 ----------

 

You refer to a relative as "my neighbour", not "my aunt/uncle/sister/brother/mother/father/cousin"?

 

yes because she's only related by marriage.

[Stomp 10]

yes because she's only related by marriage.

 

So why not x-in law then? It seems odd that you would refer to your "neighbour" as such if they are related.

[Gazza58 10]

Exactly, and we all know the cost of petrol nowadays.

My point being that there are medicars ferrying people to and from hospital who don't need the service, my neighbour had a car on motobility and a carer who was licensed to drive the car, but she always insisted on a medicar for hospital appointments ! She can't be the only one misusing the system.

 

I would agree that in this case,she is indeed misusing the system.

[francypants 441]

So why not x-in law then? It seems odd that you would refer to your "neighbour" as such if they are related.

 

She is what is called a distant relative, and related to me by marriage only. I know it seems funny me calling her a neighbour. That isn't the point though. I was merely saying that the Medicar system is being abused.

[Stomp 10]

She is what is called a distant relative, and related to me by marriage only. I know it seems funny me calling her a neighbour. That isn't the point though. I was merely saying that the Medicar system is being abused.

 

Indeed. We are straying from the point.

 

The OP had no means of transport to Hospital and wanted an Ambulance to take them. This is abuse of the 999/Ambulance Service.

[Becky B 31]

Which bit of what I said was claptrap? If you've any experience of DVTs other than what you've read on the Internet then you'll know that most are treated as an outpatient. You appear to be confusing a DVT with a PE. DVTs haven't been routinely admitted for the last decade.

 

Most of the DVT's I've seen are in people who had walked into hospital...