When is it right to call 999?

[CanadaMoose91]

Let me preface this by saying that obvious time wasters (scraped knee, runny nose) need not apply.

But I've seen so many people say that only cardiac arrest, stroke, or issues breathing are acceptable. This worries me, as I haven't got a car, and wouldn't be able to drive myself or my family to A&E if anything happened.

For example, a few weeks back I was having severe pains in my back and stomach - a pain so intense that I was writhing, was vomiting, and couldn't keep anything down. It took over 5 hours of this pain to actually call 111, who told me I should have called earlier and sent an ambulance. It was diagnosed as kidney stones, and was told it would pass. The crew left immediately. I felt so awful and felt I had wasted money and resources on an already crumbling NHS.

The thing is, what is someone supposed to do in that situation? I don't want to cost the country a fortune, but what if it was something as serious as it felt? I don't want to be goady, I really just want to know if there is an alternative to 111, 999 or A&E if breathing is ok.

I think the general feeling is that if you can physically dial a number, you are not sick enough to need 999.

Absolutely not true at all.

Kidney stones normally do warrant a visit to A&E so the paramedics should have taken you to hospital in the ambulance.

How did the crew diagnose kidney stones?

The same way they diagnose a stroke or appendicitis or a broken bone I imagine

Look there are no hard or fast rules. But people need to be sensible and use some common sense. And for those who don’t have any, the ambulance service needs to triage appropriately.

A few times a week (in season) Our local maternity hospital sends an ambulance to accompany labouring women to hospital due to a very special traffic circumstances around the hospital. The women don’t need an ambulance but they need a vehicle to clear the traffic and medical help should they be delayed too long. They have people willing to drive them, the hospital don’t want them too.

Does that mean everyone should call an ambulance when in labour despite an eager birthing partner ready to drive them? Of course not! It’s a specific situation and the hospital specifically advise it. Just like some of the specifics being quoted here. If people can’t apply common sense naturally then they need to be educated (ie the NHS campaign “threat to life or limb call 999 anything else call 111/ GP/ pharmacist)

I came down with systemic symptoms suggestive of sepsis in the middle of the night, miles from hospital, with no cash on me for a cab and too unwell to walk two miles to the nearest cash machine.

111 kindly called me a cab and paid for it.

Now I learn from Mumsnet that I should have sat there deteriorating until I went into septic shock and deserved an ambulance. As it was I merely got off with a very boring twelve hours twiddling my thumbs in Resus and five days as an inpatient on IV antibiotics, rather than a life threatening illness.

If we all do our part by not ever using the NHS we help to ensure it is there for future generations who, by the way should also not be using it

It's not about not using the NHS, it's about using it appropriately.

And possibly, curbing our society's acceptability of alcohol consumption in some way, encouraging ourselves to look out for others and not insisting we are given a prescription and immediate GP appointment for every slight ailment.

I had an ambulance when I was in labour. Sometimes the best laid plans fall apart and it was either that or give birth at home all on my own. I burst into tears out of relief when they walked in. I was in the final stages of labour and absolutely terrified. They thought there was still time to get me to hospital (an hour away). But they ended up delivering DS in the street outside my house because I was too far gone to climb in.

I work as a carer and believe me, I cannot "just pick people up" if they fall.

Firstly, I'm not allowed to. I might hurt my customer or myself. If I hurt the customer I will probably loose my job and possibly face prosecution. If I hurt myself and can't work then I'll only get ssp.

Secondly, I can't lift them! They're a dead weight and too heavy. I'm no weakling either!

What I could do though is use equipment provided in the customers home or by my employers to raise the customer. We are trained to do this but do not have the equipment. If there are no family or friends to pick the customer up, I have to call an ambulance.

@Cherrycokewinning am genuinely interested if you think that my mum calling an ambulance for me was the right thing. My foot was virtually at a right angle to my leg. Luckily the paramedic was qualified to relocate the dislocation there and then which apparently helped prevent further damage. My other ankle was sprained, not sure how anyone would have got me in a car. Every movement was agony. But my life was not in danger.

Regarding carers- most will have only a one day first aid at work certificate, if they are lucky a three day.

I'm both a first aid and manual handling trainer. The methodology is, if the person is fine and able to get up by themselves using an an aid such as a chair you guide them to it. If not, you call the emergency services.

The only difference to this would be in a setting such as a nursing home, where you have qualified nurses to make the decision and a hoist that lifts from the floor.

There was a home I used to train at years ago. Had a lady who had fallen. The staff checked her over and deemed no injuries. Got her to her feet and the first step she starts screaming. Turns out she had broken her hip.

Paramedics KNOW what questions to ask to determine injury. Paramedics KNOW what they are looking for. Paramedics KNOW if for example an area is hot and red there is possibly a break. Carers don't have this knowledge. So please, give carers a break!

twofalls in that scenario you could have risked cutting of the blood supply to the foot, if the break was that severe. I say 999 job personally.

Oh regarding lifting in the community- you would need at least 2 individuals to lift properly. One person handling is not allowed. If one person attempted it by themselves, you could then up with two people with injuries!

Sorry I disappeared! Thank you all for the information. It appears that my out of hours is 111, but at least I know now!

Just a quick question, neither of us drive,we have no family who can drive near us, not really on good terms with neighbours.On benefits so unable to pay for a fact.How would you suggest I get treatment if needed? This came up yesterday, I've had this horrible bug thats going around and last night started having problems breathing,it was sort of getting stuck rather than gasping and I was on the verge of calling 999 when I found out that if I rubbed my neck it sorted out the blocked feeling. Would I have been U if I hadn't discovered the neck trick

I've never called an ambulance myself in my life. I've travelled in an ambulance after an RTA on the motorway, though. I wasn't badly hurt, just 2 deep cuts on my right arm but my car was written off and they had to make sure I was ok. (I ended up with £6,300 compensation.)

It would never occur to me to call 999, as I do see that to be for life threatening emergencies or serious injuries. So I can't get my head around people using ambulances as a taxi service to hospital.

I have used the 111 number about one of my DDs, which is the correct procedure when it's a non emergency, and they've given her an ooh appointment.

Perfectly acceptable, OP, what you went through sounds awful.

Goose right now if you need to get to hospital urgently and have to friends and relatives that drive then you would have to get a taxi.
Start putting £1 a week away in small purse until you have enough for a taxi in the future.

I had an ambulance ride with my daughter, after I took her to the GP with what I thought was a chest infection. The GP called the ambulance.
The paramedic spent the entire ride telling me I should have called an ambulance straight away, not gone to the doctor.
I was always to call an ambulance from then on if I was concerned about her breathing as young children can deteriorate so quickly. I actually felt quite negligent.

As it turned out, my daughter settled and other than a cough didn't seem to have much wrong with her.

That was definitely a waste of resources with an ambulance ride and an overnight stay in hospital. In this case the professionals made the call so I don't think untrained people can be blamed for panicking.

On another note, the fire brigade are being used to pick elderly people up and resettle them. This service has been nicknamed 'nan downs' by the crews.

Not a popular service with the personnel.

I've only ever called 999 once - for my then 11 month old son who has a rapidly rising temperature and was floppy in my arms. I'd already called 111 who had advised A&E but my son was deteriorating rapidly and we couldn't rouse him at all. The paramedics were amazing but I could tell they were afraid too, my sons heart rate was 190bpm and he wasn't responding to any kind of stimuli. Although we never found out the reason for it, and were discharged later on that night, I don't regret phoning at all - my son needed immediate attention to stabilise his condition.

I think you did right OP. My mum had similar symptoms and had a perforated bowel. And to others who say contact GP hers was bloody useless.

Ambulances are for life threatening emergencies but also for when no other r transport is available and medical attention is required quickly.

I had a patch of my vision that had gone cloudy - I called 111 to see whether to go to gp or optician. They told me to get someone else to drive me to a&e and if I could not get there within 30mins they would send a priority ambulance.

I was shocked as seemed completely over the top - I got a lift and was shocked to find myself moved through a&e as critical priority. They suspected a detached retina and 10mins delay in treatment could make the difference between complete recovery and loss of sight.

I had no clue and almost did not call anyone - you do not always know how serious something could be. I would never have considered my symptoms as urgent.

I did not have a detached retina......i had eye cancer and was in Moorfields eye hospital in London having radiotherapy within 3 weeks.

If it hasn't been said - everyone needs to keep enough cash in the house for a taxi to a and e. Even if you have a car - there may not be someone fit to drive it.

Because even if you merit an ambulance there simply may not be one. 70 million people, infrastructures for 50 million.

I think the taxi thing, whilst a good idea, is certainly not foolproof. If I need to use a taxi where I live I'd have to book it several days in advance. You can't just ring a taxi firm and have one arrive within half an hour here. For a night like tonight I'd need to know by about October if I need a taxi. Not to mention that many taxi drivers simply wouldn't take the responsibility of transporting someone who is clearly ill.

Only ever called an ambulance once, we’ll my husband called. It was because of continual bleeding and fainting after giving birth. Turned out I had blood clots and retained placenta. I felt I was wasting their time, but didn’t see any other alternative at that time

Point taken re taxi, but have the option. Round here there simply may not be an ambulance ( or a taxi either). And I'm not that rural at all.

Fingers crossed for a healthy new year!