Fining People for Wasting Ambulances?

I think it’s a good idea since the services are so stretched. However i do find the general guidance a bit confusing. One minute they say if you’re worried about anything get it checked out then they say don’t waste the NHS’s time etc.

As long as they used the common sense approach to fining people it would be good

When did a ambulance call have to be a life or death emergency? I thought if I broke my leg etc I could call an ambulance. I called an ambulance when I had covid I could hardly breathe it was deeply unpleasant and I could hardly move but was it life or death I'm not sure but I certainly needed medical attention and wasn't going to get to the hospital by myself. It was 2AM in the morning. If it had been life or death I would have been dead anyway as they never turned up, i.e. major heart attack. I was outside in my dressing gown waiting for the ambulance as I couldn't breathe inside the house. I think I had to call them repeated times and they turned up something like an hour after the first call possibly later than that. Unfortunately I was in hospital with covid 4 times due to breathing issues and put on oxygen.

If I had dentures and thought I swallowed them I probably would call an ambulance if I couldn't get there by my own means.

Also hospitals have incredibly expensive parking nowadays I wonder if that is a factor. Even if you could drive where are you meant to park if you know you are going to be in the hospital for days because you have a major health issue. I'm only 8 minutes walk from my hospital so always walk there for routine appointments etc and if its a minor issue but I can't walk I would take a taxi there because that is much cheaper than the parking.

I think it definitely comes down to common sense but unfortunately not everyone has it. If it is a genuine medical issue and all of the above could be, it’s up to the call handlers to filter out. I also agree with Bonzo that it doesn’t always have to be life and death but serious enough to need emergency help. My dad called 111 because mum had some heart, fainting issue but the amount of questions he had to go through he said he wanted to abort call and insisted on an ambulance and good job he did!!! Now down the line she has been told to call ambulance in first instance with any issue related to heart. I do think if it’s not medically related (e.g I’ve lost my keys and can’t find them) which is stupidly nothing to do with them they should be fined.

It depends as people are already scared of calling them, so it would put those generally at need more at risk yet again.

You can't tell by those calls if the callers are cognitive at all, they could have learning difficulties, confused or even a language barrier - the hand in the letterbox could have been calling the fire service but asked for the wrong thing, not that I'd call them but it would also depend on the time, day and location too I'd imagine. You hear about all sorts, I wouldn't want to be stuck near an alley at 2am with my hand in a letterbox especially if it was freezing cold.

It sounds like the calls were made in panic and we all know when we panic we can't always think straight, especially if alone and vulnerable.

Plenty of people could have resolved many of their issues with talking to a pharmacist, so are we going to fine everyone who makes a 'wrong' appointment?

What if the signs were all there for something worse, but turned out to be something simple, would that still count as a false move?

Would they pay it back if you had evidence later to say it was actually an emergency and even the hospital staff got it wrong?

Personal Example:

I called 111 when I was having difficulties breathing, they rang me over an hour later to tell me they put me through to the wrong county's 111 and I'd have to start the process all over again. I was trying so hard not to call 999 but I kind of wish I had at that point. I had to do this a couple of times (111 about breathing) then was told to go to A&E and was waiting 4-6 hours, by that time I managed to get a bit better on my own, to then be examined to say it was likely just anxiety...(barely any checks, they just looked at my records and put 2 and 2 together) how embarrassing, I felt I knew the difference.

Then fast forward a few months later, I was diagnosed with adult asthma by a private specialist who knew instantly and did some testing and apparently it was obvious. I needed some strong steroids etc. So it could have ended a lot worse. Would I have been paid back if they THOUGHT I falsely called an ambulance but then it turned out I was correct, would I receive compensation?

So no unless it was something so silly like I can't find my keys or a fake call out to no one, then they should legally by law if someone actually comes out be charged for 'wasting emergency services time' otherwise there is too much to go wrong even with that. The system is already under so much pressure without adding this on.

I remember seeing a documentary about time wasters - some people are so bad at calling for ambulances when they aren’t needed that it flashes up next to their name/number. One was a chap who was in pain - there was a bottle of prescription morphine right next to him but he hadn’t taken any !

Problem then it could be the boy who cried wolf !

Yes they should if these people are doing all the time it's a joke I don't know why these people would even think of phoning the ambulance for these reasons

I don’t think you should get a charge, because sometimes you panic in a situation and everyone is struggling with money. But maybe the operator when calling an ambulance, can be more advising on if an ambulance is needed.

It is funny, where I live you have to literally be on the floor gasping for air to even get sent out an ambulance.

It would depend on the circumstances, if they are clearly wasting time and don't need an ambulance then yes. However when someone is unwell, people genuinely don't know where to turn especially at night or on weekends, so in that case no. I live in Wales and the welsh health service i can tell you is in an atrocious state

Surely the call handlers filter out many of the time wasters. If in doubt always call 999.

Well I've got really bad Asthma and I only call them when I'm having an attack and the inhalers don't work

Thanks for all your replies!