Calling 999

When you call 999, a BT operator will answer your call and ask:

"Emergency, which service do you require? Fire, Police or Ambulance?"

If your call is an emergency, you should ask for an ambulance.  The operator will then put you through to the ambulance service control room.

An Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) will answer your call and ask you for information to prioritise your call and identify the best advice to help the patient until the ambulance arrives.

The EMD will ask:

• What telephone number you are calling from? (In case the line gets interrupted and the EMD needs to call you back)
• What is the exact location of the incident?
• The address/location that you give us is very important in helping us to reach the patient as quickly as possible.  If you are in a rural countryside area, having your map reference or postcode to hand will be a big help.

You will also be asked for information relating to the type of incident:

• What's the problem?
• How many people are involved?
• What’s the age of the patient?
• Is the patient breathing?

Specific details about the patient's condition

• What part of the body was injured ? (So that we can identify the seriousness)
• Is there any serious bleeding? (So that we can provide correct advice to control the bleed)
• Does the patient have chest pains? (So that we can provide the correct advice to make the patient more comfortable)

You may be asked information about the safety of the scene, to ensure the crew is protected against hazards and dangers.  This would cover violent incidents or road accidents and might include questions such as:

• Is the attacker still nearby? (To inform the crew so they can remain safe)
• Is anyone trapped in the vehicle? (So that we can inform other relevant emergency services)

Ambulance control staff will give you advice on how to help the patient until the ambulance crew arrives.  This could include maintaining an airway, controlling bleeding, dealing with shock etc.  You will be asked to move any pets away before the crew arrives so that they can get to the patient as quickly as possible. You may also be asked to call us back if the patient's condition changes or gets worse.

If the patient's condition is immediately life threatening, breathing is absent/severely compromised or their life could be in danger, the EMD will give you simple, effective instructions on how to assist until the ambulance crew arrives to take over.  This might include guiding you through the steps of carrying out CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), dealing with choking or helping with childbirth.  We can provide foreign language interpreters if required.

Depending on the condition of the patient, the response you will receive may be an Ambulance, a Paramedic in a Rapid Response Vehicle, a Doctor, an Air Ambulance, a patient transport service (PTS) Ambulance crew, or a community first responder (CFR) who lives within the community and is trained to deal with life threatening situations such as heart attacks etc.  All information about the patient is entered into a computerised priority dispatch system and the nearest appropriate ambulance crew is sent .

DON'T HANG UP, stay on the line.  The Ambulance/response will be sent on its way to you as soon as you have given us your location.

TRY TO STAY CALM

The control room will keep the ambulance crew up to date with any new information about the patient's condition or about the safety of the incident while they are on the way to the incident, using radio and data communication.

If possible get someone to meet the ambulance and show them where the incident is.  If the call is at night, have something visible so we can locate you, such as car lights, a torch, waving with arms and clothing, or a jacket or coat.

When help arrives, the patient's clinical condition will be assessed and treatment may also be given at the scene.  If after assessment, the patient's condition requires transport to hospital.  The patient will be taken to the nearest accident and emergency department.

The crew will hand over the care of the patient to the hospital and prepare themselves and their vehicle for their next call.

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust aims to respond to all calls within the minimal amount of time, aiming to achieve an eight minute response if the patient's condition is immediately life threatening.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

A large percentage of patients who call for an ambulance can be dealt with more effectively in their local community by their GP, NHS Direct or an Out of Hours Service.  Please think before you call an ambulance and remember you should only call one in a real emergency – for example when someone has chest pain, difficulty in breathing, severe abdominal pain, or has collapsed or had a serious accident or fall, or overdosed.

While an ambulance crew is on one side of town dealing with a minor problem someone elsewhere could be experiencing a life-threatening condition.  An inappropriate call can cost a life.