| Topic: | Re: If it is an EMERGENCY Dial 999 | |
| Posted by: | Philippa Bond | |
| Date/Time: | 18/01/26 22:36:00 |
| The AMBULANCE CREW ascertain which hospital they will take an emergency to after they have seen and assessed a patient and discussed it. They may ask you if you have a preference but they know which hospitals have the equipment for the problems they are seeing. For emergencies they will want to know ahead that a hospital will be able to admit you if you are taken there. Sometimes there are long queues of ambulances. Different hospitals have different specialties. Not all hospitals have A&E departments. The same sort of thing happens for outpatients - different hospitals specialise in treating different problems. Generally you are expected to make your own way to Outpatient appointments BUT there is the website HEALTHWATCH that I mentioned earlier. Otherwise most of us just use www.tfl.gov.uk to work out the best way to go or get a lift. I wondered if there had been any changes in the hospitals being selected to take Outpatients and whether patients were being asked about how they were likely to travel - as it is easier for some than others. There are defibrillators now sited all over the place and it is worth having an idea of where the nearest ones are to you in case you or someone else needs one. Bigger shops and offices often hold First Aid courses to train their own staff and so also have First Aiders in their offices/stores. If it is an EMERGENCY DIAL 999. |