London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

I worry about people waiting hours for ambulances

I worry about people waiting hours for ambulances

Blair Paul qualified as a paramedic in the first six months of the Covid pandemic which means he has seen things that he would not have ordinarily seen.

The 28-year-old says the workload is relentless and the "new normal" means he is seeing younger, sicker patients and people who should be in GP surgeries rather than ambulances.

Despite being in high demand, Blair's job also involves a surprising amount of waiting.

He sometimes spends hours of his day parked outside hospital emergency departments waiting for space to become free so he can hand over his patient.

"Regardless of how difficult the job is, I like coming to my work," he says as he sits in the back of his empty ambulance outside Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's A&E.

It is a momentary place of sanctuary amid the bustle you would expect at the doors of one of Scotland's busiest emergency departments.

"I just worry about the people who are waiting hours and hours for ambulances," he says.

"It could be nine, 10 hours before they get an ambulance and actually these are the sickest people because, when you get there, what was a low-acuity call is now actually quite serious.

"These are the people that ultimately end up in resuscitation because they're the most sick because of waiting so long for an ambulance."

Blair says he worries about the fallout from people not having proper access to medical assistance for two years because of the Covid pandemic.

"I've been to a few people lately who have been diagnosed with stage four cancer and they are younger, in their 40s and 50s," he says.

"I have been to a female who had tumours in her chest that she brushed off and as soon as I saw her, I knew she was not in a good way."

Blair with his step-daughters, partner Kayleigh and baby Erin


Six months ago Blair's partner Kayleigh, an A&E nurse, gave birth to their baby Erin.

She was born with heart complications and spent three months in paediatric intensive care.

"My daughter is amazing but we've had some challenges and we didn't know in the first two days if she'd actually survive," Blair says.

"They continue to treat her for pretty horrible things that she has going on, but we're getting somewhere. We're okay and she's home and she's doing good."

Blair says he strives to be a role model for Erin and his step-daughters and thinks that spending so much time in hospital with his daughter means he's "a better paramedic for it".

But it doesn't make his job any easier.

"I think dealing with people's families is the hardest thing, to be honest," he says.

"Some situations are heart-breaking because sometimes we know that it's kind of futile and they're not going to survive.

"I've always found it difficult to deal with sick children but I think even now, being a dad whose had a kid in intensive care, it still terrifies me. It's horrible."

Blair remains upbeat as he talks about his job despite the strains, both at home and at work, in the last two years and says that is because it can be so rewarding.

He says: "I do love my job.

"We get some good times and unfortunately some bad things with some patients. But if I can walk away at the end of my shift and feel like I know someone's life is better because I've intervened, then I go home happy.

"I recently attended a job with a woman who had a heart attack and I didn't think she would survive, but last week she was in the station bringing me some biscuits and it was really nice to know she is going about her daily life because I intervened and helped her in that situation."

The Scottish Ambulance Service recruited a record number of frontline A&E staff last year in a bid to cope with the pressures of the pandemic.

It came after the Scottish government gave the service £20m in extra funding.


Dealing with sick children "terrifies" paramedic Blair Paul


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×