tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post8572218704580194359..comments2023-10-22T10:16:40.522+01:00Comments on The Broken Paramedic: An Appeal to Ambulance Staff: Make a Stand and Expose FailingsMat Westhorpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553980835026556794noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-24290641886393028972012-10-23T14:09:22.267+01:002012-10-23T14:09:22.267+01:00Well said.....
Unfortunately, this problem is nati...Well said.....<br />Unfortunately, this problem is nationwide now, so it will take a lot of effort and willpower to stop it before the 'services' can no longer cope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-28783925754460199692012-10-22T22:45:35.136+01:002012-10-22T22:45:35.136+01:00Paras, techs,saps and eca's ........now is the...Paras, techs,saps and eca's ........now is the time. You must act to stop these pen-pushing plebs from destroying the ambulance service and ultimately destroying YOU. You are wounded, demoralised,down-trodden but you are far from defeated. There are ways and means to fight back. You must act in every way possible before it is too late. You are intelligent people. Use that intelligence to hit back. Don't leave it to someone else. ACT NOW !!! Blow those whistles and blow them loud. Mat Westhorpe is leading you to the water. HE CAN'T MAKE YOU DRINK IT. That is something.....as hard as it might seem, that you have to do yourself. DO IT TODAY for a better service for everyone.Willie Watfordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-38677444841736593462012-10-08T23:14:03.596+01:002012-10-08T23:14:03.596+01:00and lets not forget the infamous A.E.D that if on ...and lets not forget the infamous A.E.D that if on scene stops the clock.<br />can it stop bleeding? no<br />can it administer drugs? no<br />can it clear an airway? no<br />it has only one purpose and thats a rare event.<br />but it somehow turns into a first responder, based twenty miles away that got to the job in a second and a half to make sure orcon was hit !!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-52382853953788783812012-10-08T16:09:08.659+01:002012-10-08T16:09:08.659+01:00Talking to other paras there have been a number of...Talking to other paras there have been a number of occasions when helicopters and RRV's have been delayed on scene for hours waiting for ambulances, either because they require a spinal board to extricate a patient, there is more than one patient or they cannot transport the patient in the helicopter.<br /><br />Apart from the 'Golden Hour' implications for the patient, what a great use of a charity resource wasting all that time and very often leaving roads blocked for hours.<br /><br />We can respond helicopters but not a frigging ambulance. When they do respond they are often given the call as a 'green call'. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-19776763018477491242012-10-08T15:04:41.858+01:002012-10-08T15:04:41.858+01:00I heard that the patient transported in the furnit... I heard that the patient transported in the furniture van because of the lack of ambulances had a lucky escape.<br /><br /> The next vehicle that came along was a hearse!<br /><br /> After discussing it the doctor and paramedic decided they couldn't "commandeer" that because they would have had to leave the deceased at the side of the road while they transport the patient! <br /><br />"Some mothers do ave em" indeed. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-14054777897691515182012-10-08T12:33:53.117+01:002012-10-08T12:33:53.117+01:00Within the NHS there are people that earn lots of ...Within the NHS there are people that earn lots of money for doing very little and lots of people that earn little for doing lots of work. The savings/austerity measures will be implemented by this government whatever the protests so the argument is about where those cuts should be made. Unfortunately the people that make these decisions i.e. the MP's are more likely to be in cohorts with the high earners than the lower paid i.e. the ambulance workers,nurses etc. Therefore any campaign to change the areas in which the cuts are made will need to be a very compelling argument indeed. I wish you and your wonderful colleagues good luck with your fight.Mr Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-82641616838376232912012-10-08T00:16:29.839+01:002012-10-08T00:16:29.839+01:00I see EEAS are so short of ambulances they are usi...I see EEAS are so short of ambulances they are using furniture vans to convey patients! (Daily Mirror).<br /><br /> Wonder if that is classed as a "clinically safe manner"<br /><br /> According to an ambulance spokesperson “Crews often commandeer vehicles to help transport patients to awaiting helicopters”!<br /><br />All we need is to order a fleet of furniture vans and helicopters, problem solved.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-22026801253927952132012-10-07T23:15:10.883+01:002012-10-07T23:15:10.883+01:00"Transforming NHS Ambulance Services" (2..."Transforming NHS Ambulance Services" (2011) states "a vehicle able to transport the patient in a clinically safe manner, if required, to attend within 19 minutes in 95 per cent of cases". <br /><br />So that excludes a car for a cat 'A' patient then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-55623807253948863012012-10-07T21:05:00.327+01:002012-10-07T21:05:00.327+01:00Does anyone know if all ambulance trusts are perfo...Does anyone know if all ambulance trusts are performing the same way? Do the response regulations allow them to count the car as a fully crewed and equipped ambulance capable of transporting cat A patients and allowable for the 19 minute response, or are they just stretching the regulations to impossible truths?<br />Whatever the answer, if this is actually occurring it is unethical behaviour and makes the 19 minute backup standard a pointless exercise to the detriment of the patient.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-43426666088154481272012-10-06T11:25:42.219+01:002012-10-06T11:25:42.219+01:00Bravo Mr Anon! Now that the news is out that peopl...Bravo Mr Anon! Now that the news is out that people can complain (whistle blow) without leaving a name then the door is open for everyone to follow suite. The first brick has been laid. Come on ambulance people stand up and be counted and a tower block will follow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-84789145604886750542012-10-06T01:58:18.337+01:002012-10-06T01:58:18.337+01:00I have whistleblown anonymously to the CQC.
Yes I...I have whistleblown anonymously to the CQC. <br />Yes I was very nervous when making the phone call (tel number on CQC website). I blocked my phone number and didn't give my name (they give you a reference number for follow up).<br /><br /> Their rules allow you to whistleblow anonymously because of previous cases such as the Staffordshire Hospitals scandal when some clinical staff were criticised afterwards for not whistleblowing because reporting poor care and corruption is a duty under your professional registration. I think it was accepted afterwards that this was a bit idealistic and it was likely to have an effect on your career if you whistleblow openly.<br /><br />No I don't know if my limited information will do any good but I know if enough people contact them they will have to take it seriously.<br /><br />Why did I whistleblow? After many years of loving the job I cannot accept the appalling care that EEAS is now providing to patients. I am genuinely concerned that if a member of my family was seriously ill or injured that they would not receive an appropriate and timely ambulance response. I am regularly receiving complaints from people including other emergency services waiting hours for an ambulance, some of the patients waiting are very unwell and exposed to the elements.<br /><br /> Most cat A calls over 8 mins away are downgraded by clinical triage, yes I accept some for genuine clinical reasons but most because they are more than 8 mins away. Its funny if a call is less than 8 mins away it rarely gets downgraded. Its a perverse fact that if you are critical, but more than 8 mins away then your call is more likely to be downgraded and you will not get the appropriate response.<br /><br /> Why the hell do we wait for a car to get to a cat A patient and assess them before sending an ambulance? As well as providing appropriate care I thought we had to achieve the 19 mins backup response or at least we were supposed to transport the patient? Now, reading comments on this website, it appears they are classing the car as an ambulance and achieving the 8 mins and 19 mins response with the car. Are we supposed to transport critical patients in the car? Sending a car to some patients (stroke patients for instance) is about as useful as the fire service sending a car to a house fire and reporting they have achieved the response time. <br /> <br />With all these cars, but not enough ambulances, the response paramedics end up waiting hours for backup (but at least they achieved the 8 and 19 mins response eh). What about patients lying in the street and RTC's, yes send a car by all means if it is the nearest resource, but send an ambulance as well because the patient is exposed to the elements and it can be very difficult to assess the patient in a public place or at night and in the rain, apart from the fact they may be unwell.<br /><br /><br />Yes I know, not enough ambulances, but covering it up and fiddling the figures isn't going to resolve it. Someone must be accountable and there is far more wrong than I can write about here but keeping quiet and hoping things will get better hasn't worked so far. With the plans for less ambulances... (sorry I mean the plans to "work smarter and match resources with demand") things can only get worse. <br /><br /><br />If enough of us express our concerns and the CQC do not investigate then when the shit finally hits the fan the CQC will have questions of accountability to answer. <br /><br />Don't wait for it to be a member of your family.<br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-49739818114525340452012-10-05T21:00:22.406+01:002012-10-05T21:00:22.406+01:00I totally understand where you are coming from. I ...I totally understand where you are coming from. I was in your position and I just did what I could to get through the day - by the time my shift was over I just wanted to get home and not think about it any more. At the time I had all the frustration, but not the direction to do something purposeful with it - I couldn't see the wood for the trees.<br /><br />That's not to say I didn't butt heads with team leaders or send strongly worded memos to various members of management, but I didn't know about the CQC then and, like most staff, was convinced speaking out would end badly. Now I've had the benefit of time to reflect and do the research, I believe I've found a way to work within the system to make positive changes. Ironically, not being in the system any more means personally I have to find other avenues.<br /><br />One of those avenues is trying to inform my former colleagues so they're not as impotent as I was and to empower them to do the right thing.<br /><br />But I completely understand if it is seen as a risk not worth taking.Mat Westhorpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08553980835026556794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-5866789718635387292012-10-05T20:49:40.386+01:002012-10-05T20:49:40.386+01:00I take your point mate but you were where I am now...I take your point mate but you were where I am now. What whistles did you blow then.. ? I love what you're doing Matt. Don't get me wrong. Keep doing it. I will try to help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-42982049601633410122012-10-05T20:42:28.388+01:002012-10-05T20:42:28.388+01:00But that's the point - there shouldn't be ...But that's the point - there shouldn't be anything to fear. NHS whistleblowers are protected by law and by the fact that they have the moral high ground and a duty of care to uphold the interests of the public. The world is watching, so any employer who would move against someone acting in the interests of the public would be crucified. So now is the time to speak out.<br /><br />Read the CQC documents linked above, get some advice if you need to, speak to your union rep. Whatever you need to feel comfortable with it. But most importantly, speak with colleagues. If concerns are raised en masse, who can they point a finger at even if they would? And who is they? There is no bad guy here, unless somebody wants to step up to take the role, which I doubt they do.<br /><br />By definition, technically I can't whistleblow because I'm no longer employed by EEAST, but I would if I could. I'm just playing with the cards I've been dealt and doing everything I can to get wheels turning.Mat Westhorpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08553980835026556794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573632931588970083.post-81283655086322499242012-10-05T20:00:30.957+01:002012-10-05T20:00:30.957+01:00Brave words Matt....and I admire everything you ar...Brave words Matt....and I admire everything you are trying to achieve but you are in rather a more comfortable position than the rest of us when it comes to whistle-blowing. It would be a very brave man or woman that stands up and starts rocking the boat whist still employed by the target at which his/her bullets are aimed....especially when like me they have a mortgage to pay and a family to feed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com