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Posted By Richard
If someone is injured and requires a trip to hospital and provided it is not a serious enough for a Ambulance is it ok to send them in a taxi? Is it ok for a collegue to drive them in a company car as long as there is a first aider also present
Much Appreicated.
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Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke
As a first aider I would say it depends on the accident, a taxi driver won't be qualified/insured(?) to drive certain injuries. What happens if an eye injury gets worse because the casualty was too busy looking out of the window, moving his/her eyes about, or catches a suspect broken arm in the seat belt, or even refuses to put a belt on due to the pain it may cause...
Who does he then seek compensation from?
On the other side, if some one then bleeds over the taxi, he'll come to you with the cleaning bill, (oh and the biological hazard implications!). So perhaps it is best not to set the taxi president.
Linda
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Posted By Peter J Harvey
Don't think that was the answer you were looking for. But then would any of us send a casualty with a serious eye injury, broken arm or bleeding, anywhere in a taxi, I doubt.
For a minor injury with a first aider, I would us a company vehicle as a norm, however a taxi could be OK. Send the first aider, good idea. Anything other than minor get an ambulance.
You might want to include this in any FA risk assessment.
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Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke
Sorry, I'm first aided up to the eyeballs today. I guess I got a bit zelous!
Linda
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Posted By Steve Sedgwick
Richard
Remember the ambulance service is an emergency service and if we use an ambulance as a taxi then we maybe delaying treatment to a real emergency case.
Casualty depts are not happy to see people jump out of the back of an ambulance and walk into a hospital casualty.
If you have "walking wounded" then send the injured / ill person by taxi, or have someone drive them. If there is any doubt then send for an ambulance.
regards
Steve
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Posted By Sean Fraser
Richard,
This one has come up before, although slightly different as it was asking about using personal transport (cars) to transport the casualty to hospital:
http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...rum=1&thread=4982&page=1
Consensus of opinion at the time was to use a taxi instead, since they are insured for using the vehicle for business purposes.
Don't know if it is much help, but . . .
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Posted By Paul Swift
I think the key here is the level of injury. A small cut requiring stitches could safely be transported in a company car, perhaps with a first aider driving to ensure the care of the patient. If a company car is not available, I would suggest that a first aider MUST go in the taxi as the taxi driver may not have the skills to deal with a down turn in the patients condition.
When we are talking more serious injuries such as fractured limbs, it is advisable to seek professional (i.e. ambulance service) assistance. There are many complications that can be caused by inappropriate management of more severe conditions, and the first aider is generally only trained and experienced to be just that - FIRST aid. Yes, the ambulance crew may be required at a more serious incident, but with modern priority despatch systems, this can be managed adequately by the ambulance service. What are the implications of a condition not being correctly and professionally managed, and then becoming more serious? My view is 'if in doubt get professional assistance'. The ambulance crew a perfectly entitled to treat on scene if they feel it appropriate - where is the responsibility then?
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Posted By Brett Day
I used to be with RAF search and rescue, and from our point of view would rather be called out than leave a casualty to 'struggle in'.
More recently as a first aider my last referesher training was with a local NHS ambulance service and a similar question arose, the response was 'If in doubt call us out!'
As stated in a previous post if something is broken, you should not be driving a casualty in a normal car - it is unsuitable for securing and allowing care of a casualty.
A degree of common sense combined with your first aid training should be used:
Is there profuse bleeding ?
Is the consiousness of the casualty affected ?
Is a major limb broken ?
If the answer to any of these is yes, your first priority MUST be to stabilise the casualty, and they will need an ambulance to be called. All UK ambulance services operate a triage service, if you give good clear detailed information they are very good at making an assessment and for 'walking wounded' will prioritise accordingly, in some cases sending out a 'Patient Transport Service' ambulance instead of a 'Emergency' ambulance.
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Posted By Richard
Thanx all who posted a responce.
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