"A big thank you to the ambulance team"

We (Gloucestershire Chinese Women's Guild) wish to Thanks your ambulance team's such professionalism. A comfort and give confidence to our carer. Relieved our panicking, worrying and being here for our moment of needs.

On Tuesday morning, 6th January 2015, Mr. A, who is 70 years old. He came to our office complaining about chest pain. He looked in pain and found it hard to breathe. Even in our office, he seems short of breath while talking and his face looked terrible. He expressed that he was worried and scared as he can’t speak the language and there’s no one to help. Especially after the long Christmas and New Year break! !

We were very concerned and tried to phone his surgery for help. Unfortunately, they were very busy and didn’t even have the emergency appointment left. They replied they will ask the nurse to call back as soon as possible because he is not in any life threatening situation. However, they advised us to call 111 or 999 if his situation changed. We were waiting in the office for half an hour but still haven’t heard anything from the surgery. Mr. A started to act very stressed and his face started changing colour. At this point, we decided to call 999, in case his situation deteriorated rapidly.

The emergency service was very quick to respond to our fear and the ambulance came in the next 2 minutes while one of our staff still talking on the phone with the 999 officer. At the same time, one of our staff went down to collect the paramedics.

Two paramedics came up with all the life saving equipments. We explained to them that Mr. A‘s situation and he doesn’t speak English. Immediately, they took him next door (our meeting room) to check him over, one of our staff accompanied them as his interpreter. They took his blood pressure, tested his heart with the ECG machine and also pricked his figure for any abnormality. At the end, everything went okay. However, the paramedics advised him to go to the hospital for a more thorough check up as he still complained about the chest pain, he might still in high risk! !

Meanwhile, we tried to get hold of his carer (wife) so she can look after him while in the hospital and take him home after. Unfortunately her mobile phone was not available. Hence, one of the staff has to stay with him until the end of the examination!

At the hospital, the doctors and nurses were rushing around to carry all sorts of test for him, for example, the blood test and the x-ray. After two and half hours waiting, all the tests came back okay and the doctor signed him off just after lunch time. Our staff accompanied him back to our office.

He was much relieved after knowing that his heart is not in great danger. And he wanted to make an appointment to his G. P. and we did.

About 12: 30, the doctor called back but Mr. A already in Gloucester General hospital.

At the end, we found his wife (carer) and advised her to come to our office to accompany him home.

This case from 9: 30am to 2: 15pm, in total 4 hours and 45 minutes spent.