Ambulances are there to take you to hospital ! No - Ambulances are there to bring trained clinicians to you in an emergency. If they can deal with your issue they may then discharge you at home or to your GP But if you need further treatment then they may take you to hospital.
@lesyoung01 Or if you don’t need monitoring or treatment on route and your friend / partner can drive, they may even suggest self presenting at hospital because going by ambulance doesn’t speed up your assessment and treatment once there
@lesyoung01 If you don't need to go to hospital, you don't need an ambulance? The fact that you haven't gone in means it can wait - wouldn't a virtual appointment be better/faster?
@lesyoung01 Erm yes they are. They are routinely booked by other HCPs/Clinicians for exactly that purpose.
@lesyoung01 I think there is a genuine misunderstanding of what an ambulance is as opposed to a malicious misuse of the system, the amount of people who say - we have to go to hospital wait for an ambulance, just because that’s what we are perceived to do
@lesyoung01 Still a common misconception that all "ambulance drivers" do is take people to hospital. Its gunna take a long time for the public to realise we do soo much more, however we are the "easy option" for some when they can't see a GP
@lesyoung01 Further to last comment. We ought remember our historical background as a primarily transport service which many will remember. We are booked to transport too Clinicians have wide scope (from unregistered to advanced practice) so not all may be deal with problems the same.