When to call 999

Some examples of medical emergencies include:

• chest pain;
• breathing difficulty;
• unconsciousness;
• severe loss of blood;
• severe burns or scalds;
• fitting or concussion;
• drowning;
• severe allergic reactions;
• choking;
• a child with sudden unexpected symptoms.

If it is not a life threatening of serious emergency you should consider other options before dialling 999.
These could include:

• NHS 24 – Tel 08454 24 24 24
• Your local GP

When you call us

When you call 999 an operator will ask which emergency service you need. If it’s a medical emergency, ask for the ambulance service and you will be put through to one of our call takers.

What information will I need?

You will be asked to provide the following information:

• the address where you are, including postcode, if possible;
• the phone number that you are calling from;
• what has happened.

As soon as we know where you are, help will be on its way to you.

You will also be asked to give some additional information such as:

• the patient’s age, sex and medical history;
• whether the patient is conscious, breathing and if there is any bleeding or chest pain;
• details of the injury and how it happened.

Answering these questions does not delay the response, but helps us to give you important first aid advice while the ambulance is on its way.

The extra information also helps to make sure that we send the most appropriate help to you.

What can I do before help arrives?

Before the ambulance arrives, you can help us by doing the following:

• if you are outside, stay with the patient until help arrives;
• call us back if the patient’s condition worsens;
• call us again if your location changes;
• if you are calling from home or work, ask someone to open the doors and signal to ambulance staff where they are needed;
• lock away any family pets;
• if you can, write down the patient’s GP details and collect any medication that they are taking;
• tell us if the patient has any allergies;
• stay calm – our staff are there to help. Violence or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated and could delay getting help to the patient.

How can I be prepared for an emergency?

There are things that you can do today to help us in the future:

• check that your house number can be seen from the road;
• if you live on an estate, check that there is a clear sign to direct emergency services and that the lifts are working.

Who will treat you

As soon as we have enough information and we believe you need immediate medical treatment, we will send help.

There are a number of ways in which we respond, depending on the circumstances:

Emergency Ambulance

Frontline emergency ambulances with a crew of two, one of which will be a paramedic, respond to the majority of emergency calls. Ambulance Technicians and Paramedics are trained to deal with life threatening illnesses and injuries. We carry a full range of medical equipment on our ambulances, including electrocardiogram (ECG) machines to monitor a patient’s heart and defibrillators which can restart the heart if a patient goes into cardiac arrest.

Paramedic Response Unit (PRU)

Paramedic Response Units are normally crewed by a paramedic working on their own. They will go to patients by car or motorcycle and carry all of the life saving equipment needed in a medical emergency. In life threatening situations, they can provide a vital, fast response and they will be backed up by an emergency ambulance that can take you to hospital.

Community Paramedics

These are paramedics who have undertaken extra clinical training. They are able to thoroughly investigate a patient’s condition and situation and then make a qualified decision about the best way to progress their treatment. They often work with minor injuries units and out of hours doctor services and can refer patients to the most appropriate care if a visit to hospital is not required.

Air Ambulance

We operate two emergency helicopters and two fixed wing planes. They are often asked to assist at incidents where there may problems with inaccessible terrain or where a very fast evacuation to hospital is preferable to a journey by road ambulance.

Community First Responders

These are members of the community who have been trained to provide first aid and other medical skills while the ambulance is on its way to you. They are able to deliver treatments that are time critical, such as using a shock box in cardiac cases.

Paramedic Clinical Advisor

If the incident is not life threatening, you may be passed by telephone to one of our Paramedic Clinical Advisors, or to NHS 24, who will give you assistance or point you in the right direction for help.

Whatever your reason for calling us, the Emergency Medical Call Taker who answers your call will ensure that you receive the most appropriate response and liaise with other services and professionals where necessary.