At what point to contact the A&E?

Ratboy

I've never rung 999 in my life until nearly 6 months ago, when my partner collapsed. It looked like a scene from a murder scene, she went downstairs, to collect a pack of fags, and collapsed onto a temporary table setup with a heater on it, smashing them both to pieces with her face. Lots of blood and several stiches later, I had an incident - loss of breath, anemic, my partner repayed the favour. Result - lots of hours in A&E, on a glucose/saline/whatever drip.

Since then either she or me has been ill to a certain degree, resulting in the NHS taking us to hospital for a long wait, for little treatment...

To tonight, I've just come back from A&E, because I had a turn, at 41 yo, I turned a shade of grey, apparently, was off my food, not not wanting it, but unable to ingest it; and felt an uneasy method to my body, to the point I may collapse, that I never knew before, that apparently is known as being nausious. (sp);

Tonight, my partner called NHS Direct, who called up an Ambulance, after discovering we had no way to pay to get to hospital. But had to pay for a taxi home - £11 for 3.5 miles

So - is it right to wait for hours in NHS waiting rooms, after initial treatment, is it right to be diagnosed, and told to make your own way there?

Is it right to be booted out of hospital, with no means of getting home? Partially recovered - make your own home back..We picked you up, you cover the costs of taking you home.

JCD_Capulet

Ratboy wrote: »

So - is it right to wait for hours in NHS waiting rooms, after initial treatment, is it right to be diagnosed, and told to make your own way there?

Is it right to be booted out of hospital, with no means of getting home? Partially recovered - make your own home back..We picked you up, you cover the costs of taking you home.

Yes. What could you possibly expect them to do? Fork out the travel costs for everyone who comes in with a jippy tummy?

I took myself to hospital aged sixteen, hobbled to the bus stop with a dislocated leg, traveled eight miles in excruciating agony on the bus, hobbled in, waited for hours then hobbled to the bus stop for the journey home with crutches.


Get a grip.

Ratboy

When I was in the hospital; my diagnosis wasn't a dodgy belly, but rather than, a virus.

If I had a dodgy belly, my toilet would know about it!

The Docs prescribed 'Anti-Sickness pills', which I already take, but they cause massive eruptions, at unexpected times, and without warning.

I took myself to hospital aged sixteen, hobbled to the bus stop with a dislocated leg, traveled eight miles in excruciating agony on the bus, hobbled in, waited for hours then hobbled to the bus stop for the journey home with crutches.

Boo Hoo! Shame you are unable to read also, regarding the content, your your woes?

JCD_Capulet

Ratboy wrote: »

To tonight, I've just come back from A&E, because I had a turn, at 41 yo, I turned a shade of grey, apparently, was off my food, not not wanting it, but unable to ingest it; and felt an uneasy method to my body, to the point I may collapse, that I never knew before, that apparently is known as being nausious. (sp);

The definition of nauseous is feeling sick hence my comment about jippy timmy, because that's where vomit comes from. Anyway, I think that maybe after your original visit to the hospital you've possibly become a bit over sensitive about any symptoms you get here and there. It's still a silly thing to suggest that the NHS should pay for your transport home after a visit to hospital for nausea.

Sometimes they'll arrange transport home for people who have no support and serious injuries to deal with. But complaining that they didn't offer to pay your transport home for feeling sick is just absurd IMO.

Dexters_Indignation

I found this instruction sheet...

jenniewb

In terms of when to call an ambulance: if your problem cannot wait until the morning AND if you cannot get yourself to A&E.

I understand your issue: before Christmas I was very unwell, after seeing my GP I went home and tried to take the medication I was given which I threw up just as quickly. I was very weak, felt faint and had not eaten or being able to keep any fluids down all day. NHS Direct called an ambulance as I wasn't able to get to hospital; it was midnight at that point.
I was taken in, put on a drip and told I had very low blood pressure. I was on the drip/s for a few hours and at 5am, told I was able to go home. They took my blood pressure again as I said I still felt dizzy and the nurses agreed, it was still "very low". I not only had no means to get home (I only had my door keys) I was too dizzy to walk properly let alone being a female on my own and the hospital was in the middle of woodland area.

I then had the Doctor come back again, said I needed to leave...eventually the nurse herself paid my cab fare- had she not done this I'd have not made it home.

I just shudder to think how those who don't say "help I can't do this" manage- the elderly, those with learning disabilities, those who are unable to communicate because of hearing or talking disabilities. Something needs to be done about this I think.

Can't fault the care and the fact it was all so fast and on a Saturday night; they took my condition very seriously and dealt with it very quickly but the discharge issue sadly over-shadows things and that is unfortunate.

custardy

Ratboy wrote: »

I've never rung 999 in my life until nearly 6 months ago, when my partner collapsed. It looked like a scene from a murder scene, she went downstairs, to collect a pack of fags, and collapsed onto a temporary table setup with a heater on it, smashing them both to pieces with her face. Lots of blood and several stiches later, I had an incident - loss of breath, anemic, my partner repayed the favour. Result - lots of hours in A&E, on a glucose/saline/whatever drip.

Since then either she or me has been ill to a certain degree, resulting in the NHS taking us to hospital for a long wait, for little treatment...

To tonight, I've just come back from A&E, because I had a turn, at 41 yo, I turned a shade of grey, apparently, was off my food, not not wanting it, but unable to ingest it; and felt an uneasy method to my body, to the point I may collapse, that I never knew before, that apparently is known as being nausious. (sp);

Tonight, my partner called NHS Direct, who called up an Ambulance, after discovering we had no way to pay to get to hospital. But had to pay for a taxi home - £11 for 3.5 miles

So - is it right to wait for hours in NHS waiting rooms, after initial treatment, is it right to be diagnosed, and told to make your own way there?

Is it right to be booted out of hospital, with no means of getting home? Partially recovered - make your own home back..We picked you up, you cover the costs of taking you home.

you werent booted out
you werent admitted,so what 'care' were you expecting?

Ilona

I dialled 999 at 3am when I woke to go to the bathroom and was struck down with agonising abdominal pains. I knew instinctively that it was not something I could take a pill for. Ambulance staff were brilliant, at the hospital within minutes, seen by doctors, treatment for pain and put on a ward. Next day, scan and xray, found big problem, said I could go home, so I rang one of my many friends to come and pick me up. I did not expect the hospital to provide a taxi service for me.

Another incident, I rang NHS Direct for advice. They said I should attend A & E to get my bashed up knee looked at. I didn't expect them to provide an ambulance for this, I asked a friend to take me.

I think for one off's, not regular ongoing treatment, if you can get to and from hospital under your own steam, lifts from friends, or taxi, you should do. Someone could be dying in the road from a traffic accident.
Ilona

mrcow

Ambulances are not there simply to help those who don't have the cash to get themselves to or from hospital.

I'm sure if you booked a private ambulance to ship you about, it would cost a lot more than £11!

Toothsmith

When I cut my leg skiing in Austria a few years ago, the ambulance had its own credit card machine for the paramedics to take payment!

pmduk

I took myself with a badly broken wrist to hospital by bus as no cabs were immediately available. Ambulances are there, in my opinion, for the unconscious, those who can't walk through injury, or those who need immediate medical treatment at the scene of an incident.