Ambulances now charging??

[krystalemery]

I live in Essex UK & am pregnant with my 2nd baby. I'm 40+1 today and when I went to midwife for a sweep this morning she asked if there was someone who could take me to hosp if labour started as ambulances have apparently now started charging!

I've googled this and tried to find some more info on it, but there doesn't seem to be anything

Anybody else know anything about the charges?

Many thanks, Krystal :-D
xx

 

[tristansmum]

I don't know. I'm sure its not for 999 emergencies but if you go into labour then unless you are literally pushing the baby out then its not a 999 emergency. I would agree because being a nurse I see people all the time who expect a free lift in or out of hospital. The nhs doesn't have enough money as it is.

 

[aliss]

I had to pay $100 for mine. I was already pushing 1 hour and they decided it was time to transfer for safety reason. Have you tried calling the ambulance dispatch centre?

 

[krystalemery]

Well my first baby turned up in 2hrs I went straight from 1cm to 8cm then started pushing on the way to hospital, so I think if I was to ring 999 it *would* be an emergency - my labours don't seem very long lol?

& No haven't tried phoning about anywhere, think I may have to as they would be the best people to speak to haha.

Many thanks for your replies

 

[solitaire89]

If you need a 999 emergency ambulance then its free. If its for "transport" and you call to arrange hospital transport (which, confusingly is often also referred to as an ambulance) then there may be a charge depending on your pct (primary care trust). Put it like this, 999 is for emergencies only, so if you're unattended and pushing, that's fine. If you are having niggles that are 1 every 20 mins ambulance control will not send one even if you call 999!

Can you arrange other transport? What did you do last time? You say you started pushing on the way, how long did you push for? How did you get there?

 

[superbecks]

Well my first baby turned up in 2hrs I went straight from 1cm to 8cm then started pushing on the way to hospital, so I think if I was to ring 999 it *would* be an emergency - my labours don't seem very long lol?

& No haven't tried phoning about anywhere, think I may have to as they would be the best people to speak to haha.

Many thanks for your replies

Maybe as soon as you start having contractions ring the hospital and explain that last time you had a quick labour and then make your own way in. This would be a better way than using an ambulance x

 

[krystalemery]

I can see what you mean about the difference between needing to push and just needing transport, but just wondered which one I come under with a labour so quick haha?!

With Aiden, I was having contractions quite close together so called an ambulance and they took me to hospital - no charge. Hospital said I was only 1cm and to go back home, but within 45mins I was on my way back to hospital in my mum & dad's car as contractions were worse, but didn't think an ambulance would be needed cos I didn't think I'd dilated so much, but I ended up needing to push on the way there and I was 8cm when examined!

They say time halves, so if this labour is as quick or quicker than my last, I think ringing am ambulance would probably be best choice! Other than that, I'd have to ask my neighbour to take us as neither me or my partner drive Neighbour has said it's no trouble to take me but I guess it all depends on the situation at the time, just have to wait and see!

xx

 

[Amygdala]

Can't your parents take you again? Or just take a taxi? I know lots of people who don't drive but made their own way in and I'd imagine an ambulance charge would be quite steep if they deem it uneccessary.

 

[krystalemery]

It was different with my last baby as I was actually living with my parents, now I don't, I live quite far away and the only parent of mine who drives is my dad and he currently has a broken wrist and can't drive for 6 weeks.. Great timing aye!

Taxi is an option I never thought of haha!

I think I may just have to ring for an ambulance when the time comes and see what they say.. If they tell me they will charge then I shall try find another way and use ambulance as last resort!

xx

 

[solitaire89]

I wouldn't rely on a 999 ambulance as transport to the hospital. They may, if resources are stretched (say on a Friday night), not be able to send an ambulance but a fast response vehicle - the paramedic would be able to assist you (if required) to deliver your baby, but that's about it.

I would suggest a taxi, but phone the firms up now and explain that you're making plans for labour. Some firms will refuse to transport a woman in labour, and you don't want a taxi arriving and then refusing to transport, especially if you have a history of fast labours.

Was a home birth not suggested as an option if you labour that fast? I'm quite surprised if it wasn't (and you have no medical reasons with this pregnancy not to).

 

[krystalemery]

With my son, after 3 months of no eating or drinking and constant vomiting and dizziness, I spent a week in hospital at 28wks pregnant. Turns out I'd caught e-coli, and after being put on the wrong medication (that I reacted with) I ended up with severely low iron levels of 4.7. I lost a stone and a half in weight, had 4 bottles of blood taken everyday in hospital and was also put on god knows how much medication and tablets.

Once discharged I ended up being scanned and monitored every week and also had renal scans every 2 weeks due to the e-coli. I got told that if my kidneys didn't improve I was going to be induced early. It was an awful experience to go through with my first baby, very scary! After giving birth, as my iron levels were still dangerously low, I bled quite a bit and had to have a blood transfusion, 3 bags of blood over 2 days, not nice at all.

Hence the reason for wanting to be in hospital this time, I've had the same water infection more than once, the sickness and weight loss, and the low iron too (just not as low as before, this time it's 9.9)!

I was offered a home birth with this baby, but chose not to. Call me silly but after the experience I had with my son I'd feel much more comfortable and safer knowing I'm where I need to be if anything happens especially with the likelihood of a quick labour!

xx

 

[solitaire89]

Sounds like a plan re: the home birth - so, back to transport, I'd go with the plan of taxi in on first ctx. They can turn you away, but with no transport home and a history of fast labours, they'd be more likely to keep you close Hope you get it sorted, but please don't rely on an emergency ambulance. Much as it may be worrying for you to get there, you are more than likely to still make it to the hospital on time in non-emergency transport, and that emergency ambulance may well be needed for someone in a life threatening condition. I wouldn't like to think, if it were me, that I was risking someone else's life when I wasn't really in need of that ambulance except for its 4 wheels and driver to take me to hospital (obviously if you're pushing, that all goes out the window, and dial 999 away! )

 

[Samie18]

yup get a taxi. arrange to go in when you start to niggle rather than leave it late.
Ambulances are taken advantage of as free rides so emergencies end up waiting which can mean life or death!

 

[purplespecs]

Ambulances are taken advantage of as free rides so emergencies end up waiting which can mean life or death!

One of my sisters is a paramedic and she gets quite annoyed at people who call an ambulance in early labour. With resources and personnel stretched to the absolute limit she gets frustrated at being a taxi service when she could be attending an actual emergency. That's not to say labours can't progress extremely rapidly - mine was only 3h 35mins, and she has delivered several babies at home as they wouldn't get to hospital in time. But the advice she gave me was that if I needed to push or my DH could see the head - call an ambulance. If not, make our own way in.

 

[krystalemery]

I wouldn't go to the hospital unless I knew baby was on her way out anyway haha I'm not a time waster and wouldn't call an ambulance for the sake of a ride to hospital in early labour lol
xx

 

[purplespecs]

Sorry, I just read my post back and it doesn't read too kindly, I'm sorry! I really wasn't trying to imply you were a time waster!!

It's just I know how stretched paramedics are with NHS cuts and that some people do abuse the ambulance service and will use 999 for a free taxi. My sister went to 2 such calls yesterday, one where the woman's contractions were 15 mins apart, no record of short labours and only a 10 min drive to the hospital, and then the woman wanted the ambulance to drop her kids off to their grandparents house on the way to the hospital! I asked her how much it costs for them to be called out to such a job, and it costs the NHS just under £500 to be what she calls "a maternitaxi".

But I'm sorry, I really wasn't trying to tar you with the same brush, I just wanted to point out why some ambulance services might be charging people - because they get a lot of women like the above case! It's amazing what sleep deprivation does to your ability to write a coherent post!!

 

[solitaire89]

I have to say I was watching "999: what's your emergency?" last night, and I was quite shocked at some of the things that people think they can dial 999 for!

 

[aliss]

I have to say I was watching "999: what's your emergency?" last night, and I was quite shocked at some of the things that people think they can dial 999 for!

I spent 10 years as a dispatcher. Oh, the stories I could tell. I would say 1% of them were actual emergencies. That's why I always laughed when people said "Oh, that must be such a stressful job" ~ erm, no more than working in a nursery.

 

[solitaire89]

I spent 10 years as a dispatcher. Oh, the stories I could tell. I would say 1% of them were actual emergencies. That's why I always laughed when people said "Oh, that must be such a stressful job" ~ erm, no more than working in a nursery.

I suppose I always take the view of you only call if it's life threatening in the case of an ambulance. The police I find more difficult in determining whether to call 999 or the local non-emergency number. Fire brigade I've never had to call, thank goodness. Our business premises are linked directly to the fire station. Raise the fire alarm and they're on their way.

 

[aliss]

I spent 10 years as a dispatcher. Oh, the stories I could tell. I would say 1% of them were actual emergencies. That's why I always laughed when people said "Oh, that must be such a stressful job" ~ erm, no more than working in a nursery.

I suppose I always take the view of you only call if it's life threatening in the case of an ambulance. The police I find more difficult in determining whether to call 999 or the local non-emergency number. Fire brigade I've never had to call, thank goodness. Our business premises are linked directly to the fire station. Raise the fire alarm and they're on their way.

The general rule was call if you aren't sure. I didn't mind people calling when they aren't sure whether something is an emergency or not. A lot of people also don't know what is and what isn't. Sometimes people would wait 15 minutes on non-emergency for a priority, because they didn't want to be a bother!

Fire... ah, they are their own breed for sure. They respond emergency whether you are blazing or a cat's in a tree