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There is a service which exists precisely for this purpose.

Posted By Jhg

"There is a service which exists precisely for this purpose."

About: Ninewells Hospital / Ophthalmology Scottish Ambulance Service / Patient Transport Service

(as a relative),

I wish to complain about the very poor treatment which my elderly mother received recently from the ambulance service. She is 86, and lives alone in Forfar (I am her closest relative geographically: I live in Edinburgh). She is about to go to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee to have a cataract removed. Her GP surgery advised her to ring the ambulance service to arrange for an ambulance to take her to hospital and bring her home again. When she phoned this number the person who answered asked her how she normally gets around in Forfar.

When she replied that she uses the local bus, this person informed her that in that case she would have use public transport to get to Ninewells. My mother has no idea how to get a bus from the bus station in Dundee out to Ninewells - (she would have to take3 buses )and she would have been worried sick while having the procedure carried out about how she was going to get home. When this was explained to her, the ambulance service person simply stated that this is the policy. If that really is the case, then the policy is shocking in its sheer lack of care and compassion. I am now going to have to take a day off work to drive up to collect her and take her to the hospital and return her home. I do not mind having to do this - but equally I do not see why it ought to be necessary, given that there is a publicly-funded ambulance service which exists precisely for this purpose. Must your policy be implemented with such a seeming absence of concern as to its impact on vulnerable patients?

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Responses

Response from Pat O'Meara, General Manager, Events, Scottish Ambulance Service 5 years ago
Pat O'Meara
General Manager, Events,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Head of Events

Submitted on 05/03/2019 at 15:41
Published on Care Opinion at 16:30

Dear JHG,

I was very sorry to read about the problems that your mother has had while trying to get an ambulance. It must be very frustrating and worrying for her and her family.

We do have criteria for our patients to ensure that we convey those who have a need for ambulance care and transport in order to ensure that we move patients with a medical rather than a transport need so we do ask questions about how patients get around normally. However, the process is designed to ensure that those who do have a need are accepted.

We also have an immediate appeal process for anyone who has had a request for ambulance transport declined and this should have been made clear to your mother.

I would like to be able to help you and your mother so that she is able to get to her appointment without any concern. Please may I ask you to call me on 0141 810 6101 so that I am able to assist you.

Regards,

Pat

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Response from Alison Moss, Feedback Manager, NHS Tayside 5 years ago
Alison Moss
Feedback Manager,
NHS Tayside

Submitted on 18/03/2019 at 15:51
Published on Care Opinion on 19/03/2019 at 08:54

Dear Jhg

I am sorry to hear that your mother has had a challenging time in arranging transport in order to attend her Cataract Surgery at Ninewells Hospital. I appreciate that this has caused worry and frustration for your family. I see that the Scottish Ambulance Service have responded and asked you to get in touch with them directly regarding this.

I would like to wish your mother all the best with her procedure. If this has already been carried out I hope that she is recovering well.

With kind regards

Christina Robinson

Interim Clinical Care Group Manager, Specialist Surgery, NHS Tayside

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