NEW ambulances capable of carrying patients weighing up to 50 stone will soon be introduced in Wales. Why, you may well ask. The £45,000 vehicles have been commissioned to cope with the growing obesity of patients – the Welsh Ambulance Service says it has seen a 25% increase in obese patients.
The new ambulances, can carry up to four tonnes, will be equipped with extra-wide strengthened stretchers, which can take a 50-stone patient. Eight of these so called bariatric ambulances have been developed – three will be based in each of the North and South East regions, with the remainder deployed in central and West Wales. The stretchers have extra fold-out wings to accommodate wider bodies, and a winch to help reduce manual handling by staff.
The new ambulances, can carry up to four tonnes, will be equipped with extra-wide strengthened stretchers, which can take a 50-stone patient. Eight of these so called bariatric ambulances have been developed – three will be based in each of the North and South East regions, with the remainder deployed in central and West Wales. The stretchers have extra fold-out wings to accommodate wider bodies, and a winch to help reduce manual handling by staff.
A spokesman for WAS said, “We have seen a 25% increase in this sort of patient.“Having vehicles like this enables our staff to transport patients with this medical problem without injuring themselves or the patient while also preserving the patient’s dignity. “A conventional stretcher will only carry a load of up to 25 stone but Megassist stretchers can cope with twice that.”
Dr Colin Wain, of the National Obesity Forum, said, “Scotland is having to make similar provisions for obese patients – a group of radiologists in Glasgow are concerned that scanners will not take very obese people because of their size.“These are signs that we need to rethink the whole range of equipment provision to recognise that obesity is happening.
The consequences of the growing problems associated with health due to overweight are widening( no pun intended). As Dr Wain points out overweight patients will not fit into scanners,I believe there is a 20 stone limit.
Dr Colin Wain, of the National Obesity Forum, said, “Scotland is having to make similar provisions for obese patients – a group of radiologists in Glasgow are concerned that scanners will not take very obese people because of their size.“These are signs that we need to rethink the whole range of equipment provision to recognise that obesity is happening.
The consequences of the growing problems associated with health due to overweight are widening( no pun intended). As Dr Wain points out overweight patients will not fit into scanners,I believe there is a 20 stone limit.
Would it not be sensible to put more realistic measures into prevention rather than keep accommodating the problem. Most of the programmes I have seen are very unrealistic and not designed to work with the people who are overweight in a way that is non threatening and acceptable.
A growing number of young people are approaching obesity. Yes we all know eat healthy and exercise. But where, leisure centres do not cater in that way for young people,women and most men. Many families have not been shown how to cook healthy meals with ordinary food.
I hope that not yet another commission is set up ,it would be far better to speak to the people who find themselves overweight, find out the reasons and work with them where they are.
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Where is the joined up planning between health and local government when it comes to giving planning permission for the myriad of fast food outlets springing up around us - and we can't even give an economic development/regeneration arguement for these, as according to the news today, Wales is falling behind in that area too!
I so agree,why not use older women with the skills to mentor the young ones and teach them how to cook.
I agree with anons comment on retricting all these fast food outlets too.
Where do the young people play to day when and if they are allowed out. Most streets are full of cars and grumpy people who dont want kids playing around thier houses.
This isnt going to go away.
My god the size of that ambulance
The paramedics and ambulance people must be under such pressure at the moment without this facility.
There is a lot that needs attention within our health service, it seems to me that the emphasis is on process not practicalities. Much to much admin. and not enough added value services. May be there needs to be a cull of office jobs and an influx of people to work on prevention, which if I am not mistaken was one of the things Nye Bevan was very keen on. We seem to have more of a National Health Office rather than Service at the moment. We need a radical change.
Hello Angela, nonny and freda.
It should be noted at this time that these bariatric ambulances have been long overdue for many years. They have not been introduced merely as a result of too many burgers being eaten.
Although diet driven obesity is currently a serious problem, there are a number of clinically obese patients whose condition is brought about by a variety of other physiological causes, not necessarily over-eating.
These clinically obese patients, frequently in excess of 30 stone, would have previously been transported to hospital in the back of a laundry van with a tail lift, the Ambulance staff being assisted by the Fire Brigade in the handling and manoeuvring of the patient.
This was clearly a dangerous and unacceptable situation, particularly when the patient's dignity and medical care during the journey are considered.
I would applaud the Ambulance Service for the introduction of these vehicles, not only for the sake of the Ambulance worker's health and well-being but also for the patient's. They now cater for all.
Mam.
The ambulance in the illustration is actually an American Paramedic ambulance and costs a lot more than the ?£45,000 quoted for these bariatric ambulances. I wondered at this quote of £45,000 as a 'normal' UK Paramedic ambulance costs well in excess of £100,000. Perhaps these new ambulances are not supplied equipped.
You are absolutely right, of course, when you say that there is much that needs attention in the NHS. This is clearly shown by the plethora of admin. staff and bean counters, managers for the red pens and managers for the blue.
The service is typified by elderly ladies like my aunt, who, at 90 years of age, having been sent to hospital as an emergency, was overlooked and spent 14 hours sat on a chair waiting for a bed to become available. Being a person of 'that' generation, she didn't want to make a 'fuss' and sat patiently waiting.
Having accompanied her to hospital earlier in the day, I returned later that evening to see if she was settled in and was horrified to see her still sitting where I had left her.
Naturally, I made a 'fuss' and although the apologies were profuse, I was informed discreetly that this was an everyday occurrence and that the under funding of patient facilities, including staff was primarily to blame.
You are spot-on when you describe the service as the National Health Office. So apt.
Still, we now all await the presentation of Mansel Aylward's NHS proposals for your neck of the woods and hope that you will provide your considered analysis, given your local knowledge.
Your pal.
johnny.
The irony is that when those people needing the big ambulance arrive at hospital chances are that they will not be treated because many anaesthatists will not treat people with a body mass index above a certain threshold. Think of that next time you stuff a Macdonald's down your throat...
Nonny @ 22:44.
Did you not read my above comment?
Not all obese patients are over-eaters. Some just can't help being obese.
I wonder if your selfish attitude extends to car crash victims, injured sports people, people with heart conditions brought upon them by poor diet, smokers and injured workers.
I suppose in your world it could be said that they are all the authors of their own misfortune for having engaged in their chosen activities.
Just remember that when you next drive your car or travel in any other vehicle, engage in sporting activity or suffer an accident in work.
These new ambulances will be a god-send to many patients who have previously be obliged to travel in the back of a van.
Would you really prefer them to be denied a little dignity?
Your pal.
johnny.
Older women you mean making the main food of Wales which would make us all over weight. what a silly thing to say, we use to eat mainly cooked dinners in Wales because the miners and the steel workers and the farmers needed energy.
Stop the fast food well yes you can and then our council would have no job production policy.
I have an idea how about getting real jobs in Wales, not working in McDonald's or Tesco or Asda or other mind numbing jobs.
What has changed in Wales is our food we still each solid good food, sadly it's fatting food, made for us when we worked.
This and the previous post by Victoria Winckler just highlight some of the concerns over the health service.I am afraid I do not think that the Minister or her Deputy have enough knowledge or enough sense to head up and lead this huge portfolio.
I suspect that many of those who work in the "National Health Office" are simply having to respond to the myriad policies, strategies, targets and action plans set by the Welsh Assembly Government and would prefer to be supporting those who do the actual business and deliver direct patient care. No wonder our clinicians are frustrated.
So who is making the policy,who is WAG listening too?
I think we need to move on from the idea that we have to follow Bevan religiously,I am sure he would have gone for what ever was cutting edge or met the prevailing needs.
Like one other of your commentators I think we have too many inept managers and far to many office staff.Lean Machine would fit the bill, may be its not just the patients getting too big.
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