London Ambulance Service
What are the main things you expect from London’s Ambulance Service?
The London Assembly Health Committee is currently looking at how Londoners could have more of say in the way that the London Ambulance Service works, what Londoners want from the Ambulance Service in the future and how it can be helped to perform better.
What are the main things you expect from London’s Ambulance Service? What do you think are the main challenges that the Service is facing today? And what do you think the London Ambulance Service could do about the number of alcohol related call outs?
Summary
The London Assembly Health Committee published their report ‘Supporting London’s ambulance service’, which makes recommendations on how best to support the London Ambulance Service. The committee listened to members of the public, representatives of the London Ambulance Service Patients Forum and Talk London.
The recommendations include:
- Develop an access to work programme to help unemployed Londoners get a job within the service.
- Share best practice to encourage workforce diversity and engage more with London’s diverse communities.
- Identify community safety needs and the resource needed to maintain a safe and secure environment.
- Identify gaps in existing provision for falls, mental health, maternity care and end of life care by developing a city-wide response.
The discussion ran from 25 June 2018 - 25 September 2018
Closed
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Log into your accountsquirrelred2
Community Member 5 years agoexpect promptness and skills to deal with life-threatening situations as well as serious but non life-threatening. Challenges: unnecessary call-out; rudeness and violence from the public; traffic holdups; shortage of staff; waits at...
Show full commentexpect promptness and skills to deal with life-threatening situations as well as serious but non life-threatening. Challenges: unnecessary call-out; rudeness and violence from the public; traffic holdups; shortage of staff; waits at hospitals; low morale. I guess that the special alcohol tents put up for New Year in Trafalgar Square help for that night at least. Do similar for major gatherings but the organisers have to pay a fee?
Show less of commentsunnyboy73uk
Community Member 5 years agoMaking patients (in extreme pain) drag themselves into an Addison Lee minicab is not the answer. Especially when a paramedic in an estate car, is also there, waiting for the minicab. I am sure these cabs cost more than having more crew and...
Show full commentMaking patients (in extreme pain) drag themselves into an Addison Lee minicab is not the answer. Especially when a paramedic in an estate car, is also there, waiting for the minicab. I am sure these cabs cost more than having more crew and Ambulances. Get Real
Show less of commentcardriver
Community Member 6 years agoI expect the amulance to come immediately, for the crew to be caring and knowledgeable. The main challenges facing them are roads that are, jammed pack roads so the ambulances cannot get through the traffice quickly enough; tired/stressed...
Show full commentI expect the amulance to come immediately, for the crew to be caring and knowledgeable. The main challenges facing them are roads that are, jammed pack roads so the ambulances cannot get through the traffice quickly enough; tired/stressed staff; low resources; and low paid staff.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoThe time is ripe for rethinking the way that responders and equipment arrive, what can be done on the scene and how and when people are taken to hospital. There has been a lot of very good work to improve the efficiency of the service but...
Show full commentThe time is ripe for rethinking the way that responders and equipment arrive, what can be done on the scene and how and when people are taken to hospital. There has been a lot of very good work to improve the efficiency of the service but the expectation remains that calling an ambulance is the first step in being taken to hospital by ambulance. I'm sure that if I was faced with a medical emergency, I'd expect no less but it would be extremely helpful to prepare us for alternative pathways. For example, there is no reason why the equipment needed at the scene needs to be delivered in a large vehicle, it could arrive by drone or automous pod. Responders already use bikes, motorbikes and cars as alternatives to ambulances. The point at which both need to be at the scene is at the scene, not at dispatch. This saves time and if the pods have first aid capability they could be used at the scene before skilled medical help arrives. At the other end of the process, there are times when patient transport needs to be by fully equipped moving medical facility, but mostly this is an expensive taxi. That end of the process needs serious work. There is possibly a role for a new kind of taxi/private hire licence for medical transport with smaller vehicles with blue light capability if necessary. let's rethink ambulance services for the next decade and beyond. and educate those who are most likely to need them that this is good care and not care on the cheap.
Show less of commentBerengaria
Community Member 6 years agoMany good comments already made. I don't know any magic solution for dealing with hoax calls, but there must be some way of deterring hoaxers. Ambulance staff do a splendid job and should have good pay and conditions. I daresay all the...
Show full commentMany good comments already made. I don't know any magic solution for dealing with hoax calls, but there must be some way of deterring hoaxers. Ambulance staff do a splendid job and should have good pay and conditions. I daresay all the emergency services need more funding. Certainly scrap targets as I assume that staff do their best anyway and shouldn't be put under pressure. There should be realistic penalties for people who abuse ambulance staff or their vehicles/equipment.
Training is vital, and I know that many ambulance staff are highly trained. They deserve huge respect.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoI expect the staff of London's Ambulance Service to be well treated by management so that they're not unduly stressed (there's bound to be some stress involved in saving lives under time pressure). If the staff aren't being well treated as...
Show full commentI expect the staff of London's Ambulance Service to be well treated by management so that they're not unduly stressed (there's bound to be some stress involved in saving lives under time pressure). If the staff aren't being well treated as regards things like having enough breaks of a reasonable duration, then there obviously aren't enough ambulance staff. This needs to be addressed.
One of the main challenges the Service is facing today is a lack of consideration by some members of the public; for instance, the paramedic who was verbally abused by a member of the public while carrying out CPR on a patient, simply because he'd parked across the man's driveway at the time. We all should respect all members of our emergency services, not just the Ambulance Service.
Show less of commentTalk London
Official Representative 6 years agoThanks everyone for sharing your views in this discussion. Some of you have raised issues with ambulances and drunk people during the weekend.
What do you think the London Ambulance Service could do about the number of alcohol related call outs?
Talk London
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoSome cities (Bristol for example) routinely provide local temporary facilities as an alternative to hospital care. Where there is a concentration of night time economy activity and a known peak source of alcohol related health incidents...
Show full commentSome cities (Bristol for example) routinely provide local temporary facilities as an alternative to hospital care. Where there is a concentration of night time economy activity and a known peak source of alcohol related health incidents, temporary units are set up to enable immediate care away from a hospital setting. These are expensive to provide, but less of a drain on ambulance and hospital services. Only those people who cannot be stablised by drips and sleep are taken to hospital. Frankly the cost of this should be borne by the businesses that fuel the problem and who profit from it
Show less of commenttalk_london_us…
Community Member 6 years agoLondon ambulance service provide great service they are well addicted and friendly they should be recognised for the good work they doing
TerryM
Community Member 6 years agoI have just read another post. In the USA firefighters and paramedics are all one unit and they attend to whatever they find at the scene. Of course private ambulances are used to convey people to hospital. There is no reason why our...
Show full commentI have just read another post. In the USA firefighters and paramedics are all one unit and they attend to whatever they find at the scene. Of course private ambulances are used to convey people to hospital. There is no reason why our services cannot be combined with NHS ambulances being used when needed. In new developments the emergency services bases are being built in the same area. Again there is no reason why this could not be done in London. I was a friend of a Florida Fire & Paramedic Service Commander way back in the 1980's and saw things first hand. It makes me wonder why we have taken so long to develop this efficient pblic service.
Show less of commentTerryM
Community Member 6 years agoMy opinion of the London fire Service has not changed in the last 54 years. During this time I was a Police Officer until 1987. I have been a member of the Community Health Council, two PPIF's and laterly Havering Healthwatch (Had to resign...
Show full commentMy opinion of the London fire Service has not changed in the last 54 years. During this time I was a Police Officer until 1987. I have been a member of the Community Health Council, two PPIF's and laterly Havering Healthwatch (Had to resign due to health). I have had close contact with emergency ambulance crews and A & E's in local hospitals. The service provided by the crews is second to none but the time taken to get a ambulance to the scene of a incident is a disgrace. I am fullyware that the service is underfunded and that the present crews are overworked and the service relies on the goodd will of its staff. I personally would pay a penny in the pound increase in my income tax if and it is a big if that tax was used in the NHS including the LAS. Decisions as to what calls to consider urgent should be made by a qualified doctor not a telephone operator with a list of types of call and their response requirements. Taxation pays for everything in the public sector. Maybe the massive 20% VAT should be used to fund the departments needing more funding. This also applies to overseas aid. Senior officers of the LAS should be constantly bombarding the Minister for Health and Social Care and the Prime Minister with data that shows the urgent need for more funds. Use of the motorcycle/car paramedic to calls prior to the ambulance is a excellent idea and saves lives. In bad traffic conditions the motorcycle is King. Do not just talk a good fight actually do something to get the service we deserve.
Show less of commentLady Iveta
Community Member 6 years agoAmbulances are GOOD, but hospitals can't take in patiens if they did not have proper departments or wards for diagnosis which those patiens do have.
livehere
Community Member 6 years agoThe ambulance service should be better funded, and should not be farmed out to private companies at all, anywhere in the UK.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoI think the biggest challenge the ambulance service is facing is being used as a stopgap measure or a measure of last resort to address cases of vulnerable people who should be receiving better social care and people suffering from mental...
Show full commentI think the biggest challenge the ambulance service is facing is being used as a stopgap measure or a measure of last resort to address cases of vulnerable people who should be receiving better social care and people suffering from mental health isssues. If the councils were given more budget to provide support in these areas it would take significant pressure off of the ambulance service.
Show less of commentTalk London
Official Representative 6 years agoThanks everyone for joining in this discussion!
What sort of incident would you call an ambulance for? When would you dial 999 rather than heading to A&E yourself, or seeking care elsewhere?
Talk London
Welsh allan
Community Member 6 years agoThe LAS is doing a good job inspite of huge cuts to the service. Please support their efforts to serve us Londoners.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agothe main challenge that the service is facing today is the very very angry and impatient public.The LAS staff deserve respect for what they do against all obstacles with compassion,good humour and great competence
They are truly Health...
Show full commentthe main challenge that the service is facing today is the very very angry and impatient public.The LAS staff deserve respect for what they do against all obstacles with compassion,good humour and great competence
They are truly Health heros..I know this because I work in an A&E and They have my full admiration and respect for the way they just soldier in the face of insults and at times physical assault.
London Ambulance Service ,WE SALUTE YOU!!
Show less of commentSusan Cartwright
Community Member 6 years agoI think they're doing a good job in London despite cuts and problems waiting around at hospitals to deposit patients.
I expect an emergency ambulance to arrive promptly, the paramedics to have the expertise to diagnose non-emergency...
Show full commentI think they're doing a good job in London despite cuts and problems waiting around at hospitals to deposit patients.
I expect an emergency ambulance to arrive promptly, the paramedics to have the expertise to diagnose non-emergency illnesses and treat on the spot where possible and safe. In order to carry out this service I expect them to receive excellent training and be paid propertly for their expertise and be valued as the professionals they are. I expect them to take patients who need the care of a doctor to A&E. I also think that less qualified ambulance staff should continue to take vulnerable patients to and from hospital
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoSorry to go back to the subject of immigration, but we really need to fund the NHS and ambulance and police on the basis of £-per-person/taxpayer. When the number of taxpayers goes up, the number of service-users also goes up and the...
Show full commentSorry to go back to the subject of immigration, but we really need to fund the NHS and ambulance and police on the basis of £-per-person/taxpayer. When the number of taxpayers goes up, the number of service-users also goes up and the system should get more funding.
Also, I'm very worried by reports of people dying waiting all day/night for an ambulance. It's sounds sensible to prioritise urgent cases, but the system seems to be leaving people to die.
Show less of commentdulwich hamlet
Community Member 6 years agoThis is selfish but i am 6ft 5inches tall and 20 stone do the London Ambulance Service have any Ambulances who could cope with people like me as i worry for the crew trying to deal with a person of my size in an emergency.
snowball
Community Member 6 years agoI have nothing but praise for hem- if you are going to be taken ill-be grateful if you are in London