We respond to emergency 999 calls by getting medical help to patients who have life-threatening injuries or illnesses as quickly as possible. Every time we receive a 999 call, our staff record the relevant details and use this information about the nature of the patient’s illness or injury to ensure they are sent the right medical help.
To find out about what information is taken on a 999 call, click here.
Other information that may be processed includes:
• Medical treatment provided to the patient
• Visual images, for example CCTV, still photography, or video consulting
• Religious or similar beliefs
• Racial and ethnic origin
• In some cases it may be appropriate to obtain contact details other individuals present at the scene
Sometimes when you call our 999 services, you may be transferred to our clinical hub team. The same information is processed by clinical hub as 999. The team is made up of clinicians, dispatchers, navigators and managers and help patients get the right care when they have called 999 but their condition is not immediately life threatening. They assess patients over the phone and determine the best course of action which will either result in the patient staying at home with self-care, being referred to a community based service, or receiving an ambulance response.
The information is processed by Emergency Operation Control (EOC) staff (these can include call takers, dispatchers, and responding crews) to determine the most appropriate response for patient’s care. Information is also processed to promote or support the provision of healthcare services to patients.
Personal information from 999 calls or clinical hub calls is processed on the lawful basis that:
• We have a legal duty to perform our tasks in the public interest (GDPR Art. 6(1)(e));
• It is necessary to protect someone’s life (GDPR Art. 6(1)(d));
• You have given us your consent (GDPR (Art. 6(1)(a));
• You have given us your explicit consent (GDPR Art. 9(2)(a)).