999 And Call Centres

[Thisoldbird]

Thoughts please.

When dialling 999 for an emergency I'm thinking once you have given patients details said patients details would show on the call centre screen..

Does anyone know if I'm thinking along the right lines?

I'll reveal my reason for asking, if my thinking is along the right lines..

[calmck]

From seeing tv shows I imagine all calls are recorded and all details logged.

[wolf63]

Do you mean their medical records?

[AuntPG]

You would need their NHS number for anyone to access patient records, and I think only certain medical staff can do this, not emergency call centre people.

[Thisoldbird]

Thanks for replies..
AuntPG I hadn't thought of NHS number.

My reason for asking, my 88 yr old husband has a DNR form.
He had a heart attack last evening. I rang 999 gave details as asked for..history of heart attacks & angina among other things. In the past the mention of chest pain, an ambulance arrived very soon after. Last night it was over 2 hours. I had even rang a second time during that time as the pain didn't subside.
I feel his age and the DNR form maybe flagged up so help didn't have the same urgency as it might otherwise have been.
I know the NHS are in dire straights, this was the first time we had witnessed this side of it.

[anneasquith]

I don’t know the answer TOB. How is your husband tonight ?

[Thisoldbird]

He is very tired and so frail.
He didnt get any rest last night with tests on going.

Thank you for asking Ann

[anneasquith]

I’m sorry things are not great tonight TOB. Very best wishes to you both .

[Musictv2019]

I hope your husband gets better soon I'm thinking of you both.

[barry1010]

It is likely that the emergency service can access the Electronic Patient Record and see there is a DNR in place but that is unlikely to affect the response time if the patient is still breathing. DNR does not mean 'do not treat' - it means do not perform CPR.
Nursing homes and care homes are told not to call an ambulance if the patient has died and a DNR is in place because the paramedics won't be able to do anything but that is not the same as the situation your husband was in last night.

It is far more likely your husband was a victim of over demand of a very stretched ambulance service. Hope he is much better today.

[Peter Pedant]

Clearly they have to keep records
and they have to look at the stuff they have entered (*)

I am pretty sure that further details arent shown - as times were for me when obvious information WASN'T taken into account. (**)

when this happened to me (near me) 75 y o with temp 40'C "oh this is bad flu" from second team that had been tasked to take him to Hospital, I wd have taken him in the car - asking a neighbour to drive, but I cdnt get the team out of the house. wdnt change the bed ( with me) wdnt assist him to the ambulance ( I dont do lifting ) which really did screw him. This was a 9 am to 3 pm jobby (***)

Any way he has to AGREE to a DNR - - so?

(*) There is a House of Lords case ( shades of New Z yesterday) of an IRA mole LOOKING at secret police info ( mole operating PNC) 1970s., but not doing anything else - noting it down or passing it on. Was that a crime? can remember the judgement

(**) Like the Christie didnt know I had cancer - er hold it - it solely does cancer innit? and I was told to call in and A+E was expecting.

When I got there ( my turn to have a temp of 38.5'C and no white cells) had: " expectin'? naar we dont do anyfing like dat mate".

and tattoo said behind me: " ere my Amy has been waiting firty minutes why he go first den?"

and I said: they think I am going to die - - - clearly er I didnt

My NHS records - if only they did have them on the screen
and then we cold have threads: NHS records - do they actually DO anything with the info presented?

(***) including 1300 - you have other lives to save in Manchester. Why dont you go and do that instead? oh we have to get the Registrar's permission not to admit .....

From the above two cases, it is pretty clear they dont have the info you think. - "in a major cock up ( Think Kabul) never underestimate the role of sheet incompetence " - un-named British Army colonel