We often get stories from the men and women who are manning the front line, regarding various procedures and practices which, in their own opinions, are not ‘good’ for the service which they represent and work for.
And we are happy to act as a ‘voice’ for the unheard; the people who are actually on the front line – regardless of where in the world they serve.
We have therefore set up a new category for such stories called ‘The Back Canteen’. It’s where you, the men and women on the front line, can share your thoughts with us (anonymously).
Where a Trust, or Authority are specifically mentioned in these blogs, then if the Trust or Authority in question responds, then we will always add their comments to the bottom of these articles.
If you have anything you want to share with us, then CLICK HERE to contact us anonymously.
The following was sent into us anonymously via our website:
“Following on from WAST, here at NWAS we are now being told not to send cars to category 2 calls such as chest pain, DIB, CVA, Fits.
To a degree we understand as figures show that most of those people are conveyed into hospital.
However. Little Doris is sat there with chest pain having a STEMI while I have a paramedic sat around the corner.
Granted he’s not going to be able to stop the STEMI but he can bloody diagnose it and be backed up immediately with an ambulance. Doris is taken to the Cath lab and survives.
Post ARP since the cars don’t stop the clock, management seem to have forgotten that there’s a damn good clinician on them who can start treatment.
But to then tell us we can’t send anyone to a job unless it’s an arrest/category 1, because they have to get back for their meal break is Playing God.
We cover remote areas of the country.
And if we can’t send the ambulance that’s based in the village, because the crew have to dine (3 hours into their shift) and little Doris is sat there having a stroke or a heart attack.
I get crews need to dine. But to hold off sending a crew because the trust is busy and doesn’t want to spend more money on out of window payments is diabolical.
Delaying treatment of someone who is acutely ill is sickening.
All trusts have lost the patient care element and are just hell bent on hitting targets. But all trusts don’t put a push on it till winter.
We get told “Manning is fine” And “we’ve put extra vehicles on” impossible as we can’t staff the core ones. I was once proud to work for the ambulance service. Now I feel that I’m working for a catalogue company and need to make my sales quota for the year”.
CLICK HERE to find out more about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our fortnightly satirical digital magazine.
Management don’t give a hoot to be honest! As long as they preserve their pay level and banding and know their pension is secure they really show lip service, especially at winter time with management bullitins thanking staff for their” sterling work” and how much the trust appreciates their commitment! Yes! NWAS I is a prime example! Load of crap if you ask me!