• Business
  • Life
  • Celebrity
  • Sport
  • Blog
  • Auto
  • Tech
Stories from SWNS
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

    The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

    How to find safe non-gamstop casino games

    How to find safe non-gamstop casino games

    Conservation zoos ‘have powerful potential to reverse extinction’

    Conservation zoos ‘have powerful potential to reverse extinction’

    Royal Navy aviators raising cash to rescue stray puppy

    Royal Navy aviators raising cash to rescue stray puppy

    “I got a new haircut – now I look exactly like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings”

    “I got a new haircut – now I look exactly like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings”

    £6.8billion turtle-shaped floating city unveiled

    £6.8billion turtle-shaped floating city unveiled

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Business
  • Life
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    Why Is Cloud Storage Migration Best Left To Professionals?

    Why Is Cloud Storage Migration Best Left To Professionals?

    How Tech Is Empowering Small Businesses And The Economy 

    How Tech Is Empowering Small Businesses And The Economy 

    The Technology Behind Forex Trading – And its Wider Impact

    The Technology Behind Forex Trading – And its Wider Impact

    Must-Have iPad Accessories At PITAKA Black Friday Sale Event

    Must-Have iPad Accessories At PITAKA Black Friday Sale Event

    How To Select The Best Lead Generation Software For Your Business: Our Top Tips

    How To Select The Best Lead Generation Software For Your Business: Our Top Tips

    Best Technologies in the Gambling Industry That Are Worth Your Attention

    Best Technologies in the Gambling Industry That Are Worth Your Attention

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
  • Review

    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gameplay on the Nintendo Switch

    Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Review

    macOS Sierra review: Mac users get a modest update this year

    Hands on: Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 review

    The Last Guardian Playstation 4 Game review

    Intel Core i7-7700K ‘Kaby Lake’ review

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

    The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

    How to find safe non-gamstop casino games

    How to find safe non-gamstop casino games

    Conservation zoos ‘have powerful potential to reverse extinction’

    Conservation zoos ‘have powerful potential to reverse extinction’

    Royal Navy aviators raising cash to rescue stray puppy

    Royal Navy aviators raising cash to rescue stray puppy

    “I got a new haircut – now I look exactly like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings”

    “I got a new haircut – now I look exactly like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings”

    £6.8billion turtle-shaped floating city unveiled

    £6.8billion turtle-shaped floating city unveiled

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Business
  • Life
    • Celebrity
  • Tech
    Why Is Cloud Storage Migration Best Left To Professionals?

    Why Is Cloud Storage Migration Best Left To Professionals?

    How Tech Is Empowering Small Businesses And The Economy 

    How Tech Is Empowering Small Businesses And The Economy 

    The Technology Behind Forex Trading – And its Wider Impact

    The Technology Behind Forex Trading – And its Wider Impact

    Must-Have iPad Accessories At PITAKA Black Friday Sale Event

    Must-Have iPad Accessories At PITAKA Black Friday Sale Event

    How To Select The Best Lead Generation Software For Your Business: Our Top Tips

    How To Select The Best Lead Generation Software For Your Business: Our Top Tips

    Best Technologies in the Gambling Industry That Are Worth Your Attention

    Best Technologies in the Gambling Industry That Are Worth Your Attention

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
  • Review

    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gameplay on the Nintendo Switch

    Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Review

    macOS Sierra review: Mac users get a modest update this year

    Hands on: Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 review

    The Last Guardian Playstation 4 Game review

    Intel Core i7-7700K ‘Kaby Lake’ review

No Result
View All Result
Stories from SWNS
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Ambulance operator told blind pensioner to ‘go to hospital alone and that guide dog would read the signs’

by
November 30, 2012
in News
0
Alfreda Weir, WITH her guide dog, Yoko. She was told by an ambulance operator to go to hospital alone and let Yoko read the signs

Alfreda Weir, with her guide dog, Yoko. She was told by an ambulance operator to go to hospital alone and let Yoko read the signs

0
SHARES
68
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A blind pensioner spoke of her outrage today after an ambulance service operator told her to get to hospital on her own – and that her guide dog would read the signs.

Alfreda Weir, 64, has had three strokes, kidney failure, heart failure and depends on her 10-year-old guide dog Yoko for getting around.

She has to make regular visits to the hospital for treatment and until recently she was regularly picked up by the Scottish Ambulance Service and taken to her appointments.

Alfreda Weir, WITH her guide dog, Yoko. She was told by an ambulance operator to go to hospital alone and let Yoko read the signs
Alfreda Weir, with her guide dog, Yoko. She was told by an ambulance operator to go to hospital alone and let Yoko read the signs

But after calling the service last week, Alfreda was informed by an operator that she no longer met criteria and would have to make her own way to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.

Ms Weir, who lives alone in Dunfermline and has no family, was then left speechless when the operator told her that her Labrador could read the hospital signs for her when she got there.

She said today: “When the lady on the phone made it clear the ambulance wouldn’t be taking me for my appointment, I asked her what I would do if I made my own way to the hospital.

“It’s a big place and they use signs to direct patients, but obviously I can’t read them.

“She said to me ‘there are signs’. So I reminded her that I am visually impaired, to which she replied ‘but you’ve got a guide dog’.

“So I had to tell her that my dog can’t read. She’s a lovely, clever little thing but she’s not that clever.

“I’m not sure if the operator was being rude or just stupid.”

As well as being blind, Ms Weir uses 26 different medications for conditions such as bronchitis, diabetes and asthma.

She has used the patient transport system for years to get to appointments but a new booking system was introduced in October and was told she no longer met criteria for a lift.

Margaret Watt, from the Scottish Patients Association said Alfreda’s treatment was “Absolutely inhuman”.

She stormed: “I doubt any of the people in the ambulance service would think that was clever if it was one of their relatives.

“What a ridiculous thing to say. That operator should be retrained on respect, compassion and dignity for patients, because she obviously hasn’t got any.

“With regards to Ms Weir not being taken to hospital, that is also not acceptable. Not only is it inconvenient for the patient it costs a lot of money.

“They should be making sure this lady gets to and from hospital safely and has no difficulties in getting around hospitals.”

The matter has now been resolved and Alfreda will be picked up by the ambulance again, but she said she is nervous about calling the operator to book up.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said that they would not comment on specifics of the case because of patient confidentiality, but issued this statement: “Ambulance transport is provided for patients who have a mobility or medical need.

“The decision to provide transport was based upon the initial information provided by the patient. Once further information and the patient’s circumstances were clarified, transport was confirmed and will continue to be provided in future.”

Previous Post

Traffic wardens slammed after slapping parking tickets on cars stranded in FLOOD WATER

Next Post

Schoolgirl, 13, killed by 50 tonne tram after being hit ‘while she was playing CHICKEN with her friends’

Next Post
Schoolgirl, 13, killed by 50 tonne tram after being hit ‘while she was playing CHICKEN with her friends’

Schoolgirl, 13, killed by 50 tonne tram after being hit 'while she was playing CHICKEN with her friends'

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected test

  • 121 Followers
  • 60k Followers
  • 189k Subscribers
  • 23.8k Followers
  • 99 Subscribers
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Women love cheesy chat up lines, a study has revealed

Top 20 cheesy chat-up lines ladies really love

March 5, 2014
The top ten most well-known bingo phrases

The top ten most well-known bingo phrases

January 21, 2014
The horses thunder towards a jump at the Grand National

Amazing racehorse names which never made it

April 23, 2014
HGH Injections Brands: Which Ones Are Best?

HGH Injections Brands: Which Ones Are Best?

January 14, 2019
Chris Fear, 33, outside the Coral betting shop which is refusing to pay out on his 485/1 winning bet

Boycott Coral! Bookmaker faces protest after refusing to pay out on a football fan’s 485/1 bet

184
Women love cheesy chat up lines, a study has revealed

Top 20 cheesy chat-up lines ladies really love

147
Women feel invisible to the opposite sex at the age of 51, researchers found

Women begin feeling invisible to men ‘when they turn 51’

138
UKIP candidate claims Jews murdered each other in the Holocaust in masterplan to create State of Israel

UKIP candidate claims Jews murdered each other in the Holocaust in masterplan to create State of Israel

105
Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

March 19, 2023
The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

March 16, 2023
6 Benefits of Customs Clearance Services

6 Benefits of Customs Clearance Services

March 10, 2023
Bloomcare Rowan Garth: Reintegration Care

Bloomcare Rowan Garth: Reintegration Care

March 8, 2023

Recent News

Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

March 19, 2023
The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

March 16, 2023
6 Benefits of Customs Clearance Services

6 Benefits of Customs Clearance Services

March 10, 2023
Bloomcare Rowan Garth: Reintegration Care

Bloomcare Rowan Garth: Reintegration Care

March 8, 2023
SWNS

SWNS all rights reserved. Copyright 2020

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Auto
  • Blog
  • Business
  • Celebrity
  • Gaming
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Pictures
  • Property
  • Review
  • Sport
  • SWNS
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

Mobile gaming vs PC gaming: Which is better for playing casino games?

March 19, 2023
The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

The Führer’s Prophecy by Brian Klein 

March 16, 2023
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

Real Fix is a trading style of South West News Service Limited.
Copyright © 2020 South West News Service Limited.

No Result
View All Result
  • Business
  • Life
  • Celebrity
  • Sport
  • Blog
  • Auto
  • Tech

Real Fix is a trading style of South West News Service Limited.
Copyright © 2020 South West News Service Limited.