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People have called 999 for insect bites, sunburn and sweating
28/07/2021
Call volumes to South Central Ambulance Service are up 15% on normal but not all the calls are for legitimate reasons
There’s been a sharp rise in the number of people using the 999 service to call for an ambulance, but not always with legitimate reasons. South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) personnel have recently received emergency calls requesting help with issues such as insect bites, broken wrists, sunburn, vomiting and even profuse sweating.
Call handlers have suffered abuse when providing advice on how to self-treat and manage non-critical conditions.
SCAS is urging us to use the NHS 111 online service for medical advice, leaving the 999 team free to deal with real emergencies.
The trust has seen a sharp rise in calls and it is thought a number of factors are contributing to this, including the recent hot weather, COVID-19 transmission rates in the community and an increase in people spending time outside as restrictions ease.
SCAS say they are currently receiving 15% more calls than usual, per day, to 999.
The Trust has a number of staff currently absent as a result of COVID-19 infection or self-isolation, though this is being mitigated through the redeployment of clinical staff from non patient-facing roles.
Anyone who does need to call 999 for an ambulance is asked to only call back if their condition worsens – not to check what time their ambulance will arrive.
Paul Jefferies, Assistant Director of Operations at SCAS, said: “Our frontline ambulance crews, 999 and 111 call handlers and the many other teams who ensure we can respond to patients as quickly as possible are working extremely hard as we see increased demand for our services.
“We are prioritising those patients that are most sick and severely injured and everyone who needs an ambulance will get one, however, there are other and often better options for people to get the care they need.”
People are still being encouraged to contact 999 if they experience:
- signs of a heart attack like a pain like a heavy weight in the centre of the chest
- signs of stroke such as a person’s face dropping on one side
- difficulty breathing
- heavy bleeding that won’t stop
- seizures
- or sudden and rapid swelling of the eyes, lips, throat or tongue.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam