Only one in 10 Shropshire 999 calls are emergencies

Monday 17th October 2011, 11:27AM BST.

Just one in ten 999 calls made to Shropshire’s ambulance service is for a life-threatening emergency, according to latest figures.

West Midlands Ambulance Service receives more than 2,500 999 calls every day but of those, only about 250 concern genuine life-threatening incidents. Officials say in many cases people could use other services for minor injuries.

And they say the problem is getting worse, with the number of people calling 999 for an ambulance increasing by about five per cent each year for the last 15 years.

Health bosses have now issued an appeal to reduce the number of non-emergency 999 calls being made to the ambulance service.

To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.

Full story in today’s Shropshire Star

View more: West Midlands Ambulance Service news.

1
ANDREW FINCH

October 17, 2011 at 13:27

An individual in most cases cant or is not qualified to know what is life threatening , of course you will get the odd silly one but most are very conCerned members of the public. I find it hard to believe only 1 – 10 is genuine . If this is indeed the case then you are in fact saying we could half if not more the ambulance service as 90% are answering non calls.

Report abuse
- Dio
  
  October 17, 2011 at 14:24
  
  I totally agree Andrew.
  
  I had an adverse reaction to a new prescription drug which left me with the frightening feeling of heart failure. My partner called the doctor, who said it would be at least 4 hours before he could attend. As my condition rapidly deteriorated my partner called 999 and paramedics were here within 3 minutes. They did full tests (ECG etc) and found the drug reaction was abating, and only left when it had stabilised (an excellent professional group of people).
  
  This could have been recorded as non-life-threatening (ie one of the 9 in 10), but I and my friend are not doctors and we were terrified at the time.
  
  I think it highly irresponsible of the “Health bosses” to appeal to reduce the number of non-emergency 999 calls as we the NHS “customers” are entitled to use a service provided if we think we are at risk.
  
  This looks like another cost-saving message made by expensive NHS consultants, which could put real peoples lives at risk.
  
  Report abuse