There is no common factor linking all patients
categorised under the category of frequent callers.
Why patients may call us regularly
An analysis of case examples, along with data
from other studies, suggests that patients may regularly place
calls to us for a wide variety of reasons:
- Chronic illness (particularly multiple
conditions) which are either difficult to control or where all the
patients’ needs are not efficiently addressed
- Mental ill-health, personality disorder or
dependency conditions promoting chaotic lifestyle
- Patients lack confidence to manage their
condition so that anxiety leads them to call us; this can be
especially relevant where patients are unable to access services
‘out of hours’
- Poor engagement with primary and social care
providers, meaning that the emergency system becomes the overall
healthcare provider, e.g., homeless patients
- Social isolation, often aligned with actual
or relative poverty.
Since being set up, the unit has built up a
significant understanding of the profile and reasons which cause
people to use the 999 service in this way. Most patients within the
category of ‘frequent callers’ may be defined within the following
categories:
- High levels of anxiety
- A perceived need for attention
- Chronic or acute mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Frequent fallers
- Frequent clinical or medical need, eg:
diabetic Hypos, CPOD, emphysema, epilepsies, asthma, terminal
cancer
- A failure to understand our service’s
role
- Unmet social or personal care needs
- Specific behavioural conditions
- Ignorant or malicious hoaxers.
How frequent callers use our service
Patients may also use the 999 service in
differing ways:
- Calling our control room but not needing or
wanting an ambulance
- Being assisted by one of our crews but not
being taken to hospital
- Being taken to hospital