Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid and Doctor Hilary Jones locked horns as they discussed people “abusing” the ambulance service.
It came after Susanna explained that she is scared to call an ambulance due to the major struggles the ambulance service faces as the NHS is pushed to the brink.
Susanna, 51, opened up about having to call an ambulance for a loved one who’d had a fall but was left speechless when she discovered they were faced with a five-hour wait.
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As they reflected on the struggles the NHS is facing, Dr Hilary said: “We only hear about the bad stories and many people are getting a wonderful service.”
(Image: ITV)
Susanna was keen to point out that many people will have had positive experiences but one viewer got in touch to share a devastating story.
They said that their husband suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting for an ambulance which hit home with Susanna.
“This is what I mean when I say I’m afraid of calling an ambulance,” she said.
(Image: ITV)
Susanna continued: “We used to be able to rely on – you’d call 999 and someone would come, now you can’t be confident that’s going to happen.”
Dr Hilary however, added: “That’s right but at the same time there are people who are abusing the service, people who have got cars outside their house and could take that patient to the hospital themselves but call an ambulance.”
Enraged by this, Susana fumed: “That’s not an abuse of the service, Doctor Hilary!”
He added: “That is an abuse of the service.”
(Image: ITV)
Susanna, however, was not backing down as she challenged Dr Hilary, saying: “If you’re calling an ambulance, that’s because you want a paramedic team who are going to treat your patient in your home or outside immediately.
“You might be afraid of moving that person, you might be afraid that when you take that person into hospital, you haven’t had all the medication you would need on that journey.
“To call it an abuse is harsh!”
Appearing to back down, Dr Hilary added: “Well no, there is abuse,” before going on to discuss the physical abuse paramedics often face which Susanna stated was not acceptable.
During the discussion, it emerged that some ambulance services are left with patients in the back of the ambulance for hours while waiting to be admitted to an Accident & Emergency ward.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
