My daughter was suffering from extreme upper back pain and was taken by myself to the doctor's surgery. The doctor called for an ambulance as an emergency suspecting a possible perforated bowel.
My daughter was by this stage having difficulty breathing and the nurse waiting with us in the treatment room became concerned enough that she chased up the ambulance (20 minutes had passed). After a confused conversation whereby the call centre appeared not to have the call, she established that the ambulance crew had in fact been sent to Chippenham Hospital. It was a total of approx 40 minutes before the ambulance arrived.
I know that if a doctor is in attendance with a patient the ambulance is not sent as a Category A call, but my concern is the fact that the doctor cannot actually do anything (for example give oxygen or gas and air) In fact my daughter had a pulmonary embolism and so the delay in the ambulance could have had a tragic result. But the question has to be asked why the ambulance was heading for Chippenham.
Also, please do not delay an ambulance if the doctor is there.
"Ambulance for my daughter was misdirected"
About: Emergency ambulance service (Wiltshire) Emergency ambulance service (Wiltshire) Chippenham SN15 1GG
Posted by cherry1 (as ),
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