When my daughter had not been well over Christmas and New year and her condition became worse I called 111. I was distressed with concern for my daughter but the operator seem oblivious to this and was very aggressive in they was they talked ‘at’ me not ‘to’ me. They did trigger the paramedic to attend, however, and they arrived whilst the operator was still on the phone. The paramedics were able to hear the way in which the operator was talking and were appalled, one of them just told me to put the phone down on the grounds no one should be treated the way I was being treated.
The paramedics were excellent, they check my daughter and decided she should be taken to the A&E department to help her with breathing difficulties she was experiencing. At the hospital my daughter was examined again, given oxygen to help with her breathing problems and once she was more stable she was discharged with a possible virus.
Unfortunately her condition got worse over the next week or so, I got her to the GP who prescribed antibiotics. Before these had a chance to start working my daughter developed a very high temperature, had ear ache and her skin looked very mottled. I again called 111 as I became more concerned. This time the operator was slightly better but I still did not feel very comfortable being questioned by the operator.
The paramedics who came this second time were again excellent, I cannot fault them.
They again took my daughter to Poole hospital where she was seen in the A&E department. This time they realised it was scarlet fever that my daughter was suffering from and reassured me that when the antibiotics our GP had prescribed stated to work they would help to bring the temperature down, ease the earache and help her to breathe better. They gave her oxygen to help stabilize her breathing before discharging her.
The hospital staff and paramedics were wonderful, very kind and caring. The 111 operators need to be trained to be more empathetic
"Paramedics were wonderful, very kind and caring. The 111 operators need to be trained to be more empathetic"
About: Poole General Hospital / Accident and emergency Poole General Hospital Accident and emergency Poole BH15 2JB South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust / Emergency ambulance South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Emergency ambulance Exeter EX2 7HY South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust / NHS 111 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust NHS 111 Exeter EX2 7HY
Posted by Energy377 (as ),
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