How to use the service

You can help save lives by making sure the service is used appropriately. Do not hesitate to call 999 in the case of a genuine life-threatening emergency, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, unconsciousness or serious bleeding.

However, there are a number of other options for less seriously ill or injured people, including:

• Visiting your local pharmacy

• Ringing NHS Direct on 0845 46 47

• Visiting www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

• Visiting your local GP or NHS walk-in centre

If you need to go to hospital, can you get there by car, public transport or taxi? You will not be seen any quicker at the hospital if you arrive by ambulance.

If you dial 999 for a problem which is not a genuine emergency, then you could be delaying our response to someone who is suffering from a life-threatening condition.

In a medical emergency you should stay calm and dial 999.

We will ask for some information, including:

• Details of what is wrong and what has happened

• The exact location of the incident

• The phone number you are calling from

An ambulance response will be dispatched immediately, but you will be asked to stay on the phone so that the ambulance call-taker can give you medical advice on how best to help the patient. This will not delay the ambulance response.

There are a number of ways you can help the ambulance responder or crew before they arrive:

• If you are in the street, stay with the patient until the ambulance responder arrives and call back if their condition of location changes
• If you are calling from home or work, get someone to open the doors and signal where the ambuance is required
• Lock away any family pets
• If you can, write down the patient's GP's details and collect any medication they may need

• Remember to stay calm - ambulance crews are there to help and  violence towards them will not be tolerated.

There are also a number of things you can do to help ambulance responders in your area:

• Check that you house number or name is clearly visible from the roadside. See www.999whereareyou.org
• Be prepared and only dial 999 when you really need to

A traditional ambulance may not be the first ambulance response on scene. It could be:

• A Community First Responder

• A single crewed response vehicle with an emergency care practitioner, paramedic or emergency medical technician

• An air ambulance

• An emergency doctor

Sometimes the patient may not need hospital treatment and therefore a traditional will not arrive.