After starting the process to obtain the fall pendant that puts you through to the County Falls Response Service, I have tried on the telephone to terminate the one I currently have. I had thought it connected to the same service as the pull cord system in the flats, but in fact, not only does it not do that but it goes somewhere in England. The holding company may be the same but the services are entirely separate.
I was greeted by the house manager this afternoon asking what I was trying to do. She now understands, but is rather doubtful that I would qualify for the C ounty pendant alarm as there are so many pull cords in the flat.
My argument is that with Careline (or the other pendant alarm that I currently have), if I fall the response is to send out an ambulance with a paramedic and an ambulance technician.
To my mind this is ridiculous and such a waste of resources. By dispatching an ambulance, they could put someone else's life at risk, when all I need is to be helped to my feet.
The house manager is going to take up my case and see what happens, but in the mean time I have told her I do not wish to continue with the pendant as I have always been able to make my way to a pull cord - and subsequently able to release the front door and open the flat door for them.
On a lighter note, this afternoon provided some really good hands, so we shall wait and see.
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5 comments:
Dispatching an ambulance is the standard response from these services, just as with NHS 24, they always assume the worst.
I was recently sent to an address where the cord had been pulled.
The remote warden service (again based in England) hadn't been able to contact the resident and requested an ambulance.
When we arrived and went through the procedure of gaining access to the wardens office and then to the key cupboard (both opened electronically by the call centre in England), we made it into the man's flat to discover that he was sleeping.
He looked utterly terrified to waken to find two green men hovering over him.
What transpired was that the man was quite deaf and therefore couldn't hear the warden.
We asked him if he knew what had happened and he told us that his bedside lamp wasn't working.
Ah, now we get to the bottom of it - his bedside lamp (operated by a pull cord) sits about three inches from the community alarm pull cord.
I wonder which one this man pulled while trying to turn on his lamp?
We left him to try to get back to sleep!
Hope you get you're pendant sorted!
Many thanks, Steven. I have told them more than once that they should at least tell ambulance control that I was not a medical emergency, just needed a hand to get back on my feet.
Mind you, I don't mind finding two men in my flat ;-)
I think the problem goes back to litigation with the poor alarm-cord companies. If, say, a warden is despatched to help someone get up, can they do it the 'proper' way? Can they recognise a medical emergency? Probably yes to both - especially with you there to tell them (and if you can't tell them, it is an emergency), but the fear of litigation if an 'untrained' person does the wrong thing leads to a 999 call every time.
Still, at least you get the company... ;-)
Love, Elder son (who has been lurking for a number of blogs, with nothing useful to say...)
TWO men in your flat??? I knew it. It's that organic stuff that does it. Ain't it now?
To dickiebo:
I ain't saying nuffing!
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