Private ambulance

Briskly

Grumpy_chap said:

There are some private (well, non-NHS, including charity) ambulance services that can deliver the response service that the OP seeks.  However, AIUI, most of these actually offer their service to the NHS who contract them in to support peak periods.  I assume the OP would not want to engage the private ambulance outside of peak period in any case.

Costs for a Private Ambulance on response service are around £1k per hour.  I understand the NHS calculate the cost of an NHS ambulance at £417 per hour, so the £1k for a private service is plausible.

A more practical solution might be if the OP can look to plan how this eventuality might be responded to in the future:

• Fall / medical alert button pendant / bracelet
• Local friend / relative that can call on the OP's mother to see how seriously she is in the event of a fall or other incident. 
• Carer that can attend to support
• How near are you to attend if the need arises?

Thanks for this. Sorry about the late reply, have been away for away for a week's respite. Thanks for the suggestions - I think I'd covered them just about.

1. She has an alert button pendant. which she pushed.
2. Neighbours responded to the alert team, entered the house and called the ambulance within minutes.
3. Carers cannot be called quickly in this area. There is a waiting list even for daily care and 4 hrs daily costs as much as a full time care home. This still leaves 20 hours without care...
4. I'm with her over 95% of the time. In this instance I was on holiday in the North of England. I alway assoned an ambulance would come within minutes. It took me 8 hours to get back, by which time the ambulance had just arrived after she had been told to stay on the floor all this time. 

Briskly

Savvy_Sue said:

I'd add to the above looking to see if falls can be prevented. Mother will have (inevitably) lost confidence, especially if she isn't aware of any particular reason for the fall. However, I would ask for a referral to the Falls Clinic within Physio (it may have a different name), and push for investigation of any health problems which might lead to dizziness etc. 

If there are loose rugs or other trip hazards within the house, persuading Mother to lose these would be a very good idea. If she has a stick or walker but is resistant to using it correctly, keep pointing out the benefits. Also see if additional grab handles or aids would be useful: if you can get a referral to Occupational Therapy then that could be very helpful. 

Thanks for this Sue. Sorry about the late reply. I thought I had this covered - she has been to a falls clinic, had a physio, fully checked for health problems. No loose rugs - sticks, walkers and grab handles everywhere. OT have been around and checked. I just happened and will probably happen again. She doesn't really need to go into care when I'm away but I have to do this now because an ambulance can take all day. Even a possible £2k payment for a private ambulance arriving in minutes would be worth it .

EnPointe

Briskly said:

Not sure if this is the right place to post so please forgive. I wondered if anyone had any experience of private ambulances and what they cost? I ask because my 95 year old Mum had a fall in her home and it took 8 hrs for an NHS ambulance to take her to A&E, with her on the floor. Sadly this seems common. I  Would pay for a private ambulance with trained crew to arrive  quickly if this happens again but don't know if this is possible? Grateful for any help. 

very few if any Private services do reactive work like that - those who have  properly  trained crews are likely  at present to be doing   work on behlaf of the NHS  

EnPointe

Briskly said:

Savvy_Sue said:

I'd add to the above looking to see if falls can be prevented. Mother will have (inevitably) lost confidence, especially if she isn't aware of any particular reason for the fall. However, I would ask for a referral to the Falls Clinic within Physio (it may have a different name), and push for investigation of any health problems which might lead to dizziness etc. 

If there are loose rugs or other trip hazards within the house, persuading Mother to lose these would be a very good idea. If she has a stick or walker but is resistant to using it correctly, keep pointing out the benefits. Also see if additional grab handles or aids would be useful: if you can get a referral to Occupational Therapy then that could be very helpful. 

Thanks for this Sue. Sorry about the late reply. I thought I had this covered - she has been to a falls clinic, had a physio, fully checked for health problems. No loose rugs - sticks, walkers and grab handles everywhere. OT have been around and checked. I just happened and will probably happen again. She doesn't really need to go into care when I'm away but I have to do this now because an ambulance can take all day. Even a possible £2k payment for a private ambulance arriving in minutes would be worth it .

this is not goingto happen  except  in some ultra high net worth  London bubble 

 this is the reality of the last 14  years  of  British Government 

https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/ambulance-response-times

Briskly

Just found out that this has just become available, as of 2 April from Met Medical. They charge £99 for 20 minute response. Someone in this area with broken bones waited 27 hours recently for the NHS. The service is just for Herts and London but hopefully will be available soon in my area. They charge £450 if a hospital visit is required but hope to get fallers on their feet to prevent this - a paramedic is onboard. Exactly what I need - will mean I can leave Mum at hope when I have respite instead of paying £1500 a week for a care home.

sevenhills

Briskly said:

Just found out that this has just become available, as of 2 April from Met Medical. They charge £99 for 20 minute response. Someone in this area with broken bones waited 27 hours recently for the NHS. The service is just for Herts and London but hopefully will be available soon in my area. They charge £450 if a hospital visit is required but hope to get fallers on their feet to prevent this - a paramedic is onboard. Exactly what I need - will mean I can leave Mum at hope when I have respite instead of paying £1500 a week for a care home.

I did see a news item about that, the £99 fee is just a downpayment, if they are waiting at the hospital for 12 hours because no one is free to take the patient, the fee will be much more, they need to show a profit.

How much to hire an ambulance and 2 staff for the day?

Albermarle

Also I could imagine that a private ambulance might keep finding themselves pushed down the queue outside A & E. 

EnPointe

Albermarle said:

Also I could imagine that a private ambulance might keep finding themselves pushed down the queue outside A & E. 

what gives you that impression ?  

EnPointe

Briskly said:

Just found out that this has just become available, as of 2 April from Met Medical. They charge £99 for 20 minute response. Someone in this area with broken bones waited 27 hours recently for the NHS. The service is just for Herts and London but hopefully will be available soon in my area. They charge £450 if a hospital visit is required but hope to get fallers on their feet to prevent this - a paramedic is onboard. Exactly what I need - will mean I can leave Mum at hope when I have respite instead of paying £1500 a week for a care home.

I strongly suspect that this is simply one vehicle from that firm  as an experiement  and anyone calling better hope it's not all ready tasked .. also the way  it;s phrased they  do not  say it will be a DCA   that attends 

Albermarle

EnPointe said:

Albermarle said:

Also I could imagine that a private ambulance might keep finding themselves pushed down the queue outside A & E. 

what gives you that impression ?  

Two reasons really , but I am only speculating.

Firstly the person in the private ambulance will probably have got to A&E quicker than a similar patient in a NHS one( assuming it is not a critical emergency),so whoever controls the queue may feel they have jumped it and hold them back.
Secondly there may be some general animosity from NHS staff, including ambulance staff to private outsiders.