Improper use of Ambulances

[Salu]

This is becoming an increasing problem. Apart from Government target hitting and an decreased sense of self-responsibility, an increasing amount of people are wasting the time of Ambulances.

Of course it's always going to be difficult with delivering an Ambulance service to know if the "he's collapsed" is a cardiac arrest or a faint. Or is it a drunken stupor or a brain haemorrhage? But measurably there is an increase in demand of the non-urgent and it's increasing...

I think this Paramedic puts the reality of it quite well.

http://randomreality.blogware.com/bl...2/4395221.html

What do you think of his reflections and indeed the whole issue of appropriateness? Any ideas on how to filter the wheat from the chaff?

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Salu

Any ideas on how to filter the wheat from the chaff?

Flat charges of £20 for calling 999.

If its proven to be necessary then you get your money back and if its really necessary you won't mind how much it costs as long as shortly after calling a vehicle with blue lights turns up.

Never going to happen but thats how I'd do it.

As the whole concept of actually taking personal responsibility disappears the Police and Ambulance service will see more and more people calling them for frivolous 'issues'

Originally Posted by Derek S

Flat charges of £20 for calling 999.

If its proven to be necessary then you get your money back and if its really necessary you won't mind how much it costs as long as shortly after calling a vehicle with blue lights turns up.

Never going to happen but thats how I'd do it.

As the whole concept of actually taking personal responsibility disappears the Police and Ambulance service will see more and more people calling them for frivolous 'issues'

I see that as a good idea

[Salu]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Flat charges of £20 for calling 999.

If its proven to be necessary then you get your money back and if its really necessary you won't mind how much it costs as long as shortly after calling a vehicle with blue lights turns up.

Never going to happen but thats how I'd do it.

As the whole concept of actually taking personal responsibility disappears the Police and Ambulance service will see more and more people calling them for frivolous 'issues'

Or "£50 if you get me there in 5 mins, mate"?

£20 is a fair all round figure most people would be able to spare £20 within a week or so of the charge . £50 is asking a bit much of the poorer who wont be able to lay their hands on that so easy

You also do not want to fall in the trap of making the poor to afraid to call for help because of the risk of a high charge as this then could cost lives

[Kymmy]

You already get charged if you get treatment concerning a vehicle accident... So why not just expand the same charge to any emergency treatment

[lucy7]

I think Dereks idea is a fairly good one in principal, but as he rightly says it will never happen.
One problem that could bring, is the likes of the genuine old folk who need an ambulance but then may fear that they will have to pay out money if their problem is not deemed a proper call out. You know what old folk are like.

Some of the calls that are bought to our attention by the media begger belief at times.
The mentality of some people astounds me that thay can call 999 for stupid trivial things.
They should be fined big style.

Originally Posted by Kymmy

You already get charged if you get treatment concerning a vehicle accident... So why no just expand the same charge to any emergency treatment

in the case of an RTA there is often and insurance policy in place that will cover these cost for those who are not to blame though is there not?

[Salu]

What do people think of the issue of inappropriate use of ambulances though rather than ways of reducing the incidence of them?

Originally Posted by Salu

What do people think of the issue of inappropriate use of ambulances though rather than ways of reducing the incidence of them?

well they suck ass dont they

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Salu

What do people think of the issue of inappropriate use of ambulances though rather than ways of reducing the incidence of them?

Clearly irresponsible, but then again you have to wonder about the operator that dispatches one for the following reason:

The 'I want my problem solved'.

I was sent, under blue lights, to a woman who wanted a cup of tea.

'Patient wants cup of tea' written as large as life on my computer terminal. Which in my mind doesn't really make her a 'patient'.

Sure enough, nothing wrong with her - but her carer was running ten minutes late and she wanted her cup of tea right then and there. I found myself standing there in the kitchen watching her make it herself.

[rogerdraig]

Originally Posted by Salu

What do people think of the issue of inappropriate use of ambulances though rather than ways of reducing the incidence of them?

not a lot all things will be abused and mostly trying to reduce it causes as many problems as it solves

charging people will end up with the timid and vulnerable NOT getting the treatment they need

better to just keep the ones who were being stupid waiting in casualty for a day or so was there 16hours with an injured child once

education is the key otherwise

give people some free taxi ride to hospital vouchers for emergencies might do more for reducing time wasted and costs than charging them and the litigation that might follow mistakes with that

especially if they put a load of advice on them of when to go to hospital

[Kymmy]

Originally Posted by zing

in the case of an RTA there is often and insurance policy in place that will cover these cost for those who are not to blame though is there not?

Only if the person is insured........

You missed the whole point.. the mechanism is there for charging so why not just extend the parameters

[rogerdraig]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Only if the person is insured........

You missed the whole point.. the mechanism is there for charging so why not just extend the parameters

problem being it would cost more to run that it would bring in unless you charged to full cost

i wanted a private ambulance for my dad a while back the quote was £120 but that was via a friend in the St Johns the cost is estimated to be more like £300

and there would still be the problem that the operator is supposed to decided if it was needed and the person who went in it would have some defence in that they would say i didnt decide i needed it

all in all education is really the only way to reduce the miss use

[Kymmy]

If it costs more to run then why is it already in place??? All it takes is an extra parameter in the software to denote type of emergency and the rest is automatic.. 95% of cases give a real address...