tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post1622429556444214707..comments2023-07-18T07:27:08.516+00:00Comments on Siren Voices: who pays the ferrymanSpence Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-21504892283801064322013-06-18T06:35:06.968+00:002013-06-18T06:35:06.968+00:00Yep - We do here, too. But there've been incid...Yep - We do here, too. But there've been incidents when the patient has signed, a little while later taken a turn for the worse, and the signature hasn't been enough to keep the crew out of trouble. A lot of the time, if you think the pt needs to go in, you simply have to make a nuisance of yourself and do everything short of kidnap to ensure that they <i>do</i> go in.Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-62274649215664931022013-06-18T02:28:53.882+00:002013-06-18T02:28:53.882+00:00some jurisidications require the patient sign for ...some jurisidications require the patient sign for refusal to transport. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-25126054640348229392013-06-14T07:17:50.646+00:002013-06-14T07:17:50.646+00:00Becca - Funnily enough, that exactly sums up Jimmy...Becca - Funnily enough, that exactly sums up Jimmy's situation! He <i>has</i> been in a few times, and each time (with nothing particular having been found or done) he's been faced with a long walk home or a ride he can't really afford. Plus the fact he does seem to be on a bit of a 'slide' with the drinking &c. So I do sympathise. It's just extraordinary to see someone with a genuine problem that really needs A&E attendance, who point blank refuses.<br /><br />Daniel - The phone idea's interesting. I'll have to ask around on that one. We did make a nuisance of ourselves, but not as far as Beiber, because I think that's tantamount to murder. I like the idea of doing something so outrageous no-one would believe it (until the patient shows the film clip from the phone/webcam...) :/ <br /><br />Jacks - I don't think it'll be long, esp. given the pressure on A&E &c, and given that they already floated charging for GP visits (thrown out as far as I can tell). <br />They do have volunteer drivers - no charge to the patients, and the drivers only get 'mileage & wear&tear'. I think it's the kind of trip that's pre-booked, though.<br />I am old enough to remember Ken as HS, but I didn't know he'd called us the T word. Lovely. If I ever pitch up to him when <i>he's</i> having a heart attack, I'll stand over him and ask him where he wants to go...<br /><br />Cheers for the comments!Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-14595076786457337732013-06-14T06:48:49.552+00:002013-06-14T06:48:49.552+00:00Speaking of taxi drivers,I'm not sure if you&#...Speaking of taxi drivers,I'm not sure if you're old enough to remember Ken Clarke when he was health secretary (back in the Thatcher years) referring to Ambulance teams as "glorified taxi drivers" so maybe you should have offered him a lift home for a fiver.....jacksofbuxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05420847156401984373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-79294981373425187162013-06-14T06:47:28.109+00:002013-06-14T06:47:28.109+00:00I wouldn't be surprised to see Jeremy Hunt int...I wouldn't be surprised to see Jeremy Hunt introduce charges to patients for taking them in,never mind finding the money for a cab home Spence.<br /><br />We've got a volunteer centre here in Buxton that does runs to the nearest hospital (Stockport,22 miles away) that only charges about £10 for the run to/from Stepping Hill,is there anything similar your way?jacksofbuxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05420847156401984373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-11848861463048369932013-06-14T03:54:20.128+00:002013-06-14T03:54:20.128+00:00I think your best options the next time this situa...I think your best options the next time this situation arises would be:<br /><br />1. Whip out your smartphone or whatever and record yourselves explaining the situation and the patient clearly and cogently opting for suicide-by-inaction. Probably violates some privacy law, but you could just stick the videos in encrypted Zip files or something and keep them in case you end up in court.<br /><br />2. Make nuisances of yourselves until the patient gives in, as you did in this case, but do it in so peculiar a way that the patient is persuaded very quickly AND nobody will believe what he says you did.<br /><br />"But they did! They both mooned me and farted in my face! Then one of them started singing One Direction songs while the other one sang Justin Bieber! Then they blew up rubber gloves and rubbed them to make that awful squeaking sound!..."Daniel Rutterhttp://www.howtospotapsychopath.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-64541782578402608092013-06-13T21:39:06.725+00:002013-06-13T21:39:06.725+00:00It's a bugger, though - because if you already...It's a bugger, though - because if you already know that there isn't £10 in the house, or in your bank account (if you've even got one) then the prospect of finding yourself needing to get home, not up to chancing the bus but not poorly enough for PTS... it's really, really scary. And if you layer that up with having some sort of ongoing reason not to care that much about yourself, maybe a few prior A&E trips where you've ended up feeling like you were wasting their time... well, I can see how easily it'd happen.<br /><br />I've caused consternation by refusing transport before - but usually by way of telling a visiting GP not to bother the ambulance service. I'd have to be in a very bad way indeed before the risk/benefit balance tipped in favour of a hospital trip out of hours!Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15436653419185638854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-46735325657514394002013-06-13T20:46:53.884+00:002013-06-13T20:46:53.884+00:00Sabine - Yep! The call's been logged (Chest pa...Sabine - Yep! The call's been logged (Chest pain, previous history of MI &c). You're the last clinician to see them alive. The very least you'd try to do is get someone else involved, directly or indirectly, so there's some kind of buffer between you and the coroner. It's all a bit weird, though. I mean, surely capacity means the right to refuse aid even if no sane person would? Which is catch 22, I know...<br /><br />Verity - We had to dig <i>very</i> deep for patience - and it paid off eventually. We refused to budge unless he came with us - and in the end he did, just to shut us up, I think!Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-61205985383955324772013-06-13T20:33:55.637+00:002013-06-13T20:33:55.637+00:00Praying for patience and crossing your fingers in ...Praying for patience and crossing your fingers in the hope that someone will give him a slap for you. <br />Hope he was ok though. <br />VerityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-78297682611124686382013-06-13T18:28:18.605+00:002013-06-13T18:28:18.605+00:00Finicky lad, this Jimmy. Would you really get into...Finicky lad, this Jimmy. Would you really get into trouble?Sabinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09015827501648296977noreply@blogger.com