Of 470,653 calls for Welsh ambulances in the last 12 months nearly a quarter were non-essential.
Of 470,653 calls to the ambulance service in the last 12 months almost a quarter were non-essential
Panicked patients dialled 999 after eating sandwiches with mouldy tomatoes in and suffering papercuts. Another asked for a lift to A&E because they had an earring lodged in a lobe while one was worried their plaster cast was wet. Of 470,653 calls to the Welsh Ambulance Service in the last 12 months nearly a quarter were non-essential.Chief executive Jason Killens said the ambulance service was there for the seriously ill or injured, or when there was an immediate threat to life, and many people were calling for non-urgent reasons due to "not knowing where to turn".
"Non-essential calls represent nearly a quarter of our total 999 calls, and time spent dealing with these could be time spent helping someone in a life or death situation."A caller asked for a lift to A&E because she thought she'd lost an earring in a lobe: Basically, I had a piercing a few weeks ago in my ear. Everything's been fine but last night I woke up and the piercing had gone. I can't find the piercing and it feels like it might be in my ear drum.