We urge the public to 'use us wisely' in order to
ensure that seriously ill and injured patients continue to get as
fast a response as possible. We also ask people whose call is
not an emergency to consider other healthcare options rather than
dialling 999. These include:
- self-care at home
- talking to your local pharmacist
- calling NHS Direct on 0845 4647
- attending a local NHS walk-in centre
- visiting your GP
- making your own way to your local
A&E
department—arriving in an
ambulance does not mean you will be seen more quickly.
BBC video about demand on our 999 service
This is a BBC London TV News item about the rising 999 demand on
our service, and how we are working to meet it (aired in February
2010).
We have prepared a text transcript for visitors with impaired
hearing.
Our 'use us wisely' campaign
Our 'use us wisely' awareness
campaign urges the public to only call 999 in the event of a
genuine emergency.
Adverts featuring the image of an ambulance in
a fire alarm box were placed in the Metro, London Lite and the
London Paper, and also for two consecutive weeks in more than 50
weekly papers across London.
The adverts outlined the range of other
healthcare options available to those with less serious illnesses
or injuries, other than calling 999.
An adapted version of the adverts ran at
London Underground stations across the capital during the first two
weeks of June 2008.
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