Unfortunately, Medics are now used to coming back to their vehicles only to find that someone has gone to the trouble of writing a note, giving parking advice to the crews.
Some of the notes have been funny, and some of the notes which have been left have even given praise to Medics, affirming that they can actually park wherever they want!
I am sure that when you sign up to join the #ThinGreenLine, there is no provision made in the relevant training that gives advice on how to deal with the (often) abusive notes which are left on the windscreens of ambulances (i.e. just throw them away).
Today we learn about an A&E Doctor who has joined the legions of individuals who have decided that leaving a note on an ambulance regarding their parking, is the ‘right’ thing to do.
Paramedic Zain Ali Kazmi wrote a post on Facebook that said: “came out of ED to find this! Another note on an ambulance this time from an A&E consultant outside A&E because he was blocked in a bay where he shouldn’t have parked himself!”
Speaking to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, Kazmi said: “We get enough of this stuff from the public. Its not nice seeing it from another health care professional”.
Dr Sarah Robertshaw, Head of Clinical Service for Emergency Medicine at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said it had been working hard with the West Yorkshire Ambulance Service over the last six months to improve ambulance hand-over times, and frequently found itself among the top in the region.
She told the Huddersfield Daily Examiner: “It was therefore disappointing to see this post on social media today. We have spoken to the doctor in question.”
Mr Kazmi said the issue was not related to hand-over times.
“There are some spaces there to park in but normally the police park there. It’s not a staff car park. It’s outside A&E.
“He was going round taking pictures at first and then he left the note. But he didn’t leave a note on the other consultant’s car that was there. You don’t just leave a note on an ambulance. It’s not the way to deal with it.”
COMMENT
When we first found out about this particular story, we didn’t really think too much about it, as parking in-and-around A&E can be a pain in the backside.
I know this myself from my time in the Met Police when I had to spend 20 minutes (on average) trying to find somewhere to park, in order to go and do whatever hospital-orientated task I was given during that particular shift.
I always actually used to feel quite bad whenever I had to park my Cop Car in an Ambulance bay – but the only alternative would have been to park 15 minutes down the road, which isn’t a problem until a call comes out for urgent assistance somewhere in the Borough, and you have to spend 15 minutes running back to your car.
What stuck out about this story, is the fact that the A&E staff member concerned had already parked his private car where he shouldn’t have, and that he/she, for whatever reason, appears to have singled out the ambulance crew.
It’s a shame that we don’t stock a kit bag, from our wide selection of bags, that is big enough to ‘carry’ an ambulance in.
That way, Medics can take their Ambulances with them wherever they go.
Written by an Admin of Emergency Services Humour, who is also a regular contributor to our popular satirical emergency-services-related fortnightly eMagazine that is emailed directly to our subscribers’ inbox.
Anyone can subscribe to this banter-filled ‘publication’, that contains loads of blogs, stories, pictures and admin commentary that we do not share online. ⇒CLICK HERE⇐ to find out more.
