MINOR cuts, grazes and coughs are some of the reasons behind unnecessary emergency calls made by Islanders, the chief ambulance officer has revealed – as the service looks to crack down on the issue amid a surge in demand.
Peter Gavey has urged Jersey residents not to call 999 unless they are dealing with a ‘genuine emergency’, instead of a minor injury that could be treated at home.
The Ambulance Service was hit with a spike in calls earlier this week, which it warned could cause delays in attending ‘life-threatening situations’.
Mr Gavey said that the increased call volume had placed ‘a significant strain on our emergency response system’.
He explained that nothing ‘specific’ had been identified as causing the spike, as the service occasionally dealt with ‘a spate [of calls] from time to time that causes a backlog’.
However, he said that ‘the main thing for us is just reminding the public to only call if it is a genuine emergency’, noting that approximately 40% of all emergency calls did not result in a patient being transported to the Emergency Department.
He revealed that grazes, coughs and sore throats – and other minor injuries that did not require immediate medical attention – were among the reasons some Islanders had called 999 in the past.
‘Sometimes they will say a person is bleeding; we arrive and it’s a minor cut that they could have treated themselves,’ he said.
He stressed that unnecessary calls presented an issue ‘when we know there are people with more serious injuries who need help’.
Islanders made 44 emergency calls on 6 September, with the more typical daily figure ranging from 25 to 30.
‘I would like to thank all of our ambulance staff who have worked these busy periods to keep Islanders safe,’ he added.
Mr Gavey acknowledged that Jersey’s ageing population could also ‘have an impact’ on the number, but stressed that calls about injuries relating to trips and falls were received from people of all ages.
