Eating a raw chicken Kyiv, laundry detergent in an eye, and a swollen finger were the reasons behind some of the unnecessary 999 calls made during the heatwave. The Welsh Ambulance Service has urged people to call them only when it is appropriate to do so.
The NHS trust said 19,517 calls were made to the service between July 4 and 18. Almost a fifth were non-essential and 16 were hoax calls – including from someone falsely reporting that a dog had been stabbed. Meanwhile one person called 999 with earache and another called because their tooth had fallen out.
Emergency services said they faced "extreme pressures" as Wales experienced record-breaking temperatures. While the heat has since subsided the remainder of the week is still set to be warm. Breathing problems was the number one reason people called 999 on Tuesday when temperatures in the UK topped 40C while calls to drownings and to people with heat exposure also increased.
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Lee Brooks, executive director of operations at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: "Our ambulance service exists to help people who are seriously ill or injured or where there is an immediate threat to their life so time spent dealing with non-essential calls could be time spent helping someone in a life or death situation. People with earache and swollen fingers still have a clinical need but calling 999 for that need is ill-judged when there are so many other ways to access more appropriate help. Hoax calls are a different story altogether because it's someone who's gone to deliberate lengths to waste our time, which is frankly appalling."
The ambulance service is asking the public to consider the alternatives to 999, starting with the NHS 111 Wales website which should now be the first port of call for health advice and information. "We're not out of the woods just yet," said Lee. "Whilst it won't be as hot the remainder of the week is still predicted to be very warm with temperatures in the mid-20s for the next couple of days. Despite the temperature drop, there remains a very real danger to our health, especially if you have a pre-existing condition like asthma or angina.
"Clinical colleagues have also spoken to lots of patients who aren't hydrated enough so, while it may seem obvious, it's really important to take on lots of fluids. The extreme pressures on our ambulance service have been well-documented in recent weeks and extensive hospital handover delays, sustained higher numbers of life-threatening ‘red’ calls, and Covid-19-related staff absence remain with us.
"Ultimately we want everyone to enjoy the warm spell but please do so sensibly and mindfully to avoid a call to 999. I would just like to thank our staff and volunteers who consistently deliver their very best in difficult circumstances." Wales had its hottest day ever recorded on Monday with the mercury hitting 37.1C in Hawarden, Flintshire, while the following day proved to be the second-warmest on record.
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