When an ambulance crew take a critically ill patient to hospital on blue lights, we ring the hospital to warn them. This is called (imaginatively) a ‘blue call’. All the blue call numbers are programmed into our phone system so we only have to dial a couple of digits to get them. The hospital in Romford, however, has just moved so we have to dial the full number to put the blue call in.
T601 were bringing in a man in cardiac arrest, so I dialled the number.
Them: “Hello, can I help you?”
Me: “This is London Ambulance with a priority call.”
Them: “Yes?”
Me: T601 are bringing in a 60 year old male, suspended…
Them: Uh… sorry… I think you have wrong number. This is Chinese Takeaway!”
I was a laughing stock for the rest of the shift. My sector controller insisted on telling everyone who she spoke to, including all the ambulance crews, “watch out for our radio operator today… he tried to blue a patient into the local Chinese!” Everyone thought it was hilarious. My face has never been so red!
March 28th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Oh no!
You are never going to live that one down …
March 28th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Thanks for this post as I don’t think I’ve actually laughed so hard at a post in ages.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Superb!
*Insert uncharitable remark about Romford hospital here*
We sometimes get people trying to order pizza on our station’s activation phone, so I suppose that it’s fair turnabout.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
I wonder what the Chinese takeaway guy thought you were going to say - “We need prawn crackers and sweet and sour chicken, stat!!” (I know, that’s American, but hey, it sounds good.)
March 29th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
That is absolute legend! Good one ;o)
March 29th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Loved this one!! Do you know how much trouble the new telephone system at Queens has caused? Judging by the letters in the local rag there are lots of wound up people out there who could do with a laugh (and so should read this) but I suspect getting the chinese takeaway instead might just tip them over the edge!
March 29th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Priceless. Wonderful post, but no, you won’t ever live it down.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:40 am
just wait till you get on the road……………….
‘know any good chinese’s round here then?’
April 1st, 2007 at 8:26 am
“He has chicken wings and prawn balls…”
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:21 am
Sorry, I couldn’t help having a chuckle over that.
I trust it all ended ok and the old chap didn’t end up as No. 31 with black bean sauce?
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:29 am
Well, I think he died, but that was nothing to do with me! I got the right number second time round (saying “we’re bringing you a suspended” with people laughing in the background is not too good, though!)
April 3rd, 2007 at 12:22 am
you should havev known it was not Queen’s as they answeerd the phone quick plus it may have been better for the PT if he had gone to the Chinese insted. Queen’s is the nightmare of hospitals
April 6th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Hee hee!! Love it.
I worked in a residential care home and rang the pharmacy as to enquire where a residents anti biotics were as the lady concerned had a chest infection and was very poorly.
Thay said that they did not a resident by that name on their list and was she a new resident I said “no” I could hear in the background thhe pharmasist enquiring abou her anti biotics, it was then I twigged I had given the name of a resident that I had died 4 and half years before!
April 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am
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September 25th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Worked in A&E at W2 for ten years - now moved to another Dept. cos of Agenda for Change - really love your blog. Keep them comin…..