Comments from TV medic Dr Hilary shocked viewers of Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, September 7. As the regular joined hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls they discussed new Prime Minister Liz Truss' pledges to make the NHS an "early priority".
Speaking on the ITV show, Dr Hilary said that the NHS is in a state of "crisis" with record waiting lists and people struggling to get an appointment with their GP. He then called on the PM to revisit the pay award for junior doctors and ensure more doctors are recruited and retained to address the crisis.
News articles have already documented ambulance delays, which the Liverpool Echo reported was due to lack of resources, and on the show, Susanna admitted she was "afraid to call an ambulance" as she read out a series of harrowing stories from viewers who have been impacted by delays. However, the broadcaster was taken aback when Dr Hilary suggested people are "abusing" the service.
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The medical expert said: "People who have got cars outside their house and could take that patient to hospital themselves but call an ambulance instead." Susanna shot back: "If you're calling an ambulance that's because you want a paramedic team who are going to treat a patient in your home. You might be afraid of moving that person."
Dr Hilary insisted anyone concerned about this should phone the 111 service for guidance - and a frontline NHS worker named Andy later contacted the show to echo Dr Hilary's thoughts and invited anyone to join on a 10 hour shift to see "how the service is abused by people who are calling 999."
Viewers following the show soon gave their point of view on the medic's comments.. Writing on Twitter, one person said: "Had to turn off #GMB this morning. @DrHilaryJones actually said, people calling ambulances who have cars sitting outside their homes are abusing the system. What planet is this man on. Thank God he's just a TV doctor"
Another posted: "Disgusting comments by “Dr” Hilary", with a third adding: "Dr Hilary saying calling an ambulance if you’ve got a car outside is abuse of the NHS?????? Get him off". Another viewer wrote: "So Hilary if you have a car but call an ambulance its an abuse of the service?"
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