Only ten per cent of daily 2500 '999' calls to the West Midlands Ambulance Service are genuinely life threatening

People across the West Midlands are being asked to 'Choose Well' before phoning 999, to consider what is the most appropriate point of accessing NHS services when unwell.

The Choose Well campaign aims to direct patients to services best suited to their illness or condition.

The number of people calling 999 for an ambulance has increased by around five per cent each year, for the last 15 years.

The role of West Midlands Ambulance Service is to attend to life-threatening cases such as choking, chest pains, serious blood loss, stroke, or if the patient is unconscious.

Only ten per cent of the 2,500 '999' calls received every day by West Midlands Ambulance Service are genuinely life threatening emergencies.

Many people that do call the ambulance service could have used another part of the NHS as they have relatively ‘minor’ conditions.

WMAS Director of Nursing, Sandy Brown, said: "There is still a common misconception that if you get taken to hospital by ambulance, you will be seen more quickly. This is simply untrue. All patients are triaged to see how serious their case is when they arrive at A&E. If everybody understood this, there would be many fewer 999 calls."

"If our crews and vehicles are dealing with minor cases, they are not able to get to the patients with genuine life-threatening illness or injury which ultimately could put lives at risk."

Further information:
West Midlands Ambulance Service