A lift home from hospital, an infected toenail and toothache are just some of the reasons why people have dialled 999 in the past, the Welsh Ambulance Service has revealed.
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has made an appeal to the Welsh public to think before dialling 999.
Other examples of the emergency line being misused include:
- A man who had bitten a plastic bag and was concerned he had bits of plastic in his teeth
- Another man dialled 999 from a car park as he was out with friends fishing. He had fallen and injured his wrist, which was bruised.
- A woman demanding to be taken into hospital after she was scratched by a cat.
Ms Griffiths said: “Calling for an emergency ambulance is not always the most appropriate action. It diverts resources away from patients with genuine, potentially life threatening emergencies and increases the pressure on our hard-working paramedics.”
She added: “Paramedics and emergency department staff do an outstanding job but they are facing increasing pressure year on year. If we can eliminate even a small proportion of inappropriate 999 calls and attendances at emergency departments, we can respond more effectively and efficiently to those in a real emergency.
“We are not discouraging people who need it from using emergency services, simply highlighting this is not the only option should you become ill or injured.”
Fine people who waste the paramedics time in this way or give them community service in the nhs.