999 response time increases
The West Midlands Ambulance Service is now at its highest ever risk rating – and the situation is only going to worsen.
The NHS have been consistently in the news recently, with the prominence of Covid-19 making it hard for the industry to cope.
But now, the 999-response time is slower than ever because paramedics simply cannot get to them quickly enough. Whether the reason for this is because of the lack of paramedics, or because a larger number of people are needing ambulances is still in question.
Reasons for such a crisis are due to a lack of beds, space, and general resources: which means Paramedics are stranded without being able to offload the patients.
According to Birmingham Live, within the last three months, at least eight patients have died whilst waiting for the emergency help that they need.
Around one in ten high risks, known as category two, were not reached by any emergency services within two hours, which puts them at even more risk.
Around 1.8 million people within the United Kingdom have been waiting longer than 18 weeks just to start NHS treatment. Along with over 200,000 people have been waiting for over a year.
Current paramedic, working in Coventry, Ashleigh Fearn said “we treat a lot of elderly people who have had falls. Sometimes they have been on the floor for hours, which can damage their kidneys, and so we have to take them in”. This highlights just one occasion where the system is failing them.
In a normal situation, the Paramedics would reach their patient much quicker and would be able to examine them thoroughly without the chance of having to take them in.
The West Midlands Ambulance Service are currently asking people not to call 999 unless necessary. Even stating that travelling to hospital in an ambulance does not mean a doctor will see you quicker.
Despite the consistent pressure being put on the NHS, especially with Coronavirus: the Government have implemented a rule that any NHS worker or carer who have not been vaccinated will lose their job.
Current paramedic, Ashleigh Fearn gave her opinion on the matter: