The Lemon Fool

The Clithkids post on £8 billion being spent on litigation and compensation against £3billion on actual nhs services is incredible, I knew things were bad but this indicates at some point the NHS could surely completely and utterly bust the UK.

He makes an intelligent suggestion to follow Sweden, New Zealand etc.

2 additional things that frustrate me.

A large number of NHS stuff are very well paid by the lawyers to write expert reports.
It does not seem remotely fair that if an accidental injury is definitely or proven to be caused by a 3rd party the unfortunate victim may have millions to make life easier for him and his family. Whilst someone who falls of their mountain bike and ends up in a wheelchair has basically crumbs to live on.

Mike4 wrote:One of the bell-ringers here was telling us the other day about the nuisance call-outs their partner gets routinely as an ambulance driver and 'first responder'. One such 'patient' has learned how to get priority attention and an top priority ambulance visit several times a week. They call up and say they think their heart has stopped beating and this gets them straight to the front of the emergency queue. Their heart is fine when the crew get there and the phone staff recognise this caller but are in no position to deny them a priority visit, while real deserving callers have to wait while this charade is played out repeatedly.

Whilst I don't doubt that there are ways to get to the front of the 'queue', I'm not convinced that this would work. Surely the call-handler can just ask them to hold on for a moment, then ask them if their heart is still not beating. If they say yes, then they're either dead or lying (and don't need an ambulance). If they say no, they've recovered and don't need an ambulance.

Claiming to have severe chest pain would be more convincing surely?

chas49 wrote:

Mike4 wrote:One of the bell-ringers here was telling us the other day about the nuisance call-outs their partner gets routinely as an ambulance driver and 'first responder'. One such 'patient' has learned how to get priority attention and an top priority ambulance visit several times a week. They call up and say they think their heart has stopped beating and this gets them straight to the front of the emergency queue. Their heart is fine when the crew get there and the phone staff recognise this caller but are in no position to deny them a priority visit, while real deserving callers have to wait while this charade is played out repeatedly.

Whilst I don't doubt that there are ways to get to the front of the 'queue', I'm not convinced that this would work. Surely the call-handler can just ask them to hold on for a moment, then ask them if their heart is still not beating. If they say yes, then they're either dead or lying (and don't need an ambulance). If they say no, they've recovered and don't need an ambulance.

Claiming to have severe chest pain would be more convincing surely?

We've covered this in discussions about it. Apparently the call handlers are not allowed to make judgements about whether callers are making stuff up. They are required to act on what they are being told and caller saying they believe they have no heartbeat gets them the very highest priority, apparently. Even higher than chest pains.

But I'll clarify the point next time the subject crops up in the ringing chamber!

chas49 wrote:Whilst I don't doubt that there are ways to get to the front of the 'queue', I'm not convinced that this would work. Surely the call-handler can just ask them to hold on for a moment, then ask them if their heart is still not beating. If they say yes, then they're either dead or lying (and don't need an ambulance). If they say no, they've recovered and don't need an ambulance.

Claiming to have severe chest pain would be more convincing surely?

It might work. The pills I was given to control my blood pressure managed to reduce my pulse from "notably strong" to "not detectable by a doctor".
No explanation has ever been suggested. (And I have since recovered to a moderate extent).