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Let Down By Ambulance Service

Posted By ForeverSore

"Let Down By Ambulance Service"

About: Raigmore Hospital / General Surgery Scottish Ambulance Service

(as the patient),

Suffering from dreadful abdominal pain a few weeks after a miscarriage. I became frightened by the increasing pain and called an ambulance because I couldn't handle it anymore.

I was told by the call handler my case didn't require an ambulance and to contact my GP. I did this, and GP decided I did need an ambulance and called for one immediately telling them I needed it within the hour.

When the ambulance arrived, knowing it was for a patient in severe pain needing to travel 40mins to the hospital, I was advised the only pain relief the crew was qualified to give me was entonox.

Firstly I feel there was an unecessary delay due to my call for help being dismissed. Secondly my dreadful transfer to hospital in excrutiating pain.

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Responses

Response from Sharon Hammell, Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 12 years ago
Sharon Hammell
Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

I am responsible for the development and implementation of the Scottish Ambulance Service's communications strategy: this includes staff communications as well as external audiences, including PFPI and media management.

Submitted on 14/07/2011 at 16:08
Published on Care Opinion at 16:10

Thank you for sharing your experience of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

I am sorry that you felt let down by our response to your call and by the care you received during your journey to hospital, particularly in such difficult circumstances.

I have made some preliminary enquiries; but without more information, it's difficult to truly understand how your call was prioritised, and our decisions around pain relief. I wonder if you would mind getting in touch to provide more information, so we can look into your care in more detail? This would let us follow up with you, and to enable us learn from your experience.

If you are willing to do this, please contact Linda at the following e-mail address: linda.penman@nhs.net; or call 0131 446 7000.

In the meantime, I hope you are feeling much better.

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