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 was told by my husband that I stopped screaming or he was calling 111 This set me wondering - what if your taxi driver tells you that he can't drive while you're screaming, or he's not willing to accept the responsibility of having a sick person in the cab, and you should get an ambulance?

what if your taxi driver tells you that he can't drive while you're screaming, or he's not willing to accept the responsibility of having a sick person in the cab

I'd guess most taxi firms would refuse to transport someone who is vomiting or looks like they might vomit, or bleeding simply because they will have to take the car off the road until they can get it cleaned if you happen to vomit or bleed in the car.

When my son was 5 he cut his thumb with a tuna can and blood was spouting from it to the ceiling.

My car was in for repair, my parents were on holiday, none of my friends had cars and I couldn't get through to the local taxi company after several tries.

In the end I called for an ambulance and apologised profusely, they were fine and said that they didn't mind as he had actually nicked the artery.

While we were in A & E, people were telling us to demand that the ambulance took us home as it was "our right". I wouldn't have dared.

We caught the last of the Sunday buses but I had left my purse at home in the hurry.

As my son showed off his bandaged thumb to the other passengers, people were coming forward and offering me money to pay my fare home but the bus driver wouldn't accept it.

I put £20 in the Air Ambulance box the following week to try and quell my guilt as well.

We live fairly rurally and I don't drive which makes me something of a pariah on MN. In the last couple of years I've called 111 for advice when our GP is shut. One time they sent an ambulance to my door while I was still in the phone which I was mortified by as I was convinced I was wasting their time but it saved my life as I was having a miscarriage that was going badly wrong and I lost a huge amount of blood. If I'd tried to brave that out at home I'd be dead. So I'm grateful the 111 service is there as I'd never have called an ambulance for myself. I was sent back to hospital a week later by my hugely cautious GP who thought despite my blood transfusion that I was showing worrying signs of having too little blood, and called an ambulance to take me despite me saying my dh would take me. All was fine in that instance and the paramedics, whole absolutely lovely, were a bit bemused as to why they'd been called, and I did feel guilty that time despite me not calling them myself.

We had to call 111 last week as ds had horrific chicken pox and we couldn't get his temperature down. Spent the whole day waiting for an out of hours doctor to call back and they gave us an appointment at our walk in centre, which was the very place we were trying to avoid taking him. He was very poorly but in the end avoided admission. They told us when we called that they were dealing with huge amounts of calls from people who were pretty much guilty of festive overindulgence and clogging up the phone lines. It's scary when you're hurt or ill or in pain, but I know so many people who call an ambulance as the first port of call. The problem here too is that many services can only be accessed via A&E. Our son is under CAMHS care and we've been told that if we want any support that we have to go to A&E and paint it as an emergency. This is their own advice for an autistic 9 year old. I know of two separate people who have called an ambulance in a (successful) attempt to jump up a waiting list they were already on. I truly fear for the NHS

I'm glad to say that I don't actually know anyone who would consider calling an ambulance for something non ambulance worthy.

I've been responsible for sending for one once when my FIL (very complicated serious medical history including a stroke) lost consciousness and couldn't be revived, although I didn't actually ring 999 myself, I just shouted 'help!' in panic and someone else did.

As a child my mother was taken to hospital in an ambulance when she was found collapsed and unconscious, but that's about thirty years ago.

Those are my only two experiences of an ambulance being called. I've never witnessed an ambulance be called to my workplace, and none of my friends have ever called an ambulance.

I know it's true that ambulances are misused sometimes but I do know a few ambulance staff who say that in their experience it's actually mercifully rare. Which is good news obviously.

It's still a chronically understaffed and underfunded service though, and I can't help but think that the government are happy to let the media plant the seeds of doubt in the public's mind by letting them think that most calls are unnecessary...

A few years ago the advice from the NHS was to call an ambulance for someone who is immediately suicidal. I take it that this is no longer the case?

I would have done the same. Your GP wouldn't have appreciated you going in to the surgery whilst being sick everywhere. I don't think you did anything wrong. It depends on the circumstances, something's could be dealt with by getting a taxi to A&E but others you have to call 999 x

@Chouetted I would think suicidal would count as life-threatening.

When I'm not sure if I need an ambulance I, or more likely my daughter, will call 111. They've asked some questions and then immediately sent an ambulance, and on one occasion a doctor then another rapid response unit arrived before the ambulance. On both occasions I needed to be bluelighted to hospital, so they did make th right call.

On another occasion we called 999 direct as we were sure I would need to go in and they came immediately and again I was bluelighted with A and E on standy.

There was really no difference in the time the ambulance took to arrive after calling
111 instead of 999, so if you're unsure whether to call just dial 111 and they will advise.

You've nothing to be embarrassed about.

Intense pain that renders you incapable of getting to the gp or hospital yourself requires an ambulance. My Mum stubbornly refused to call an ambulance for intense stomach pain 5 months ago. Luckily I had a last minute change of plans and was in her town the same day. If i hadn't been there to drag her in my car and get her to A&E she wouldn't be here now. By the time she'd been assessed and scanned her bowel had perforated and she was literally minutes from death. Use your common sense, especially with kids, and don't put yourself in danger for fear of doing the 'wrong thing' and being criticised for it.