Darren Millar
Commenting on reports that one single property in North Wales dialled 999 for an ambulance 290 times last year, Darren Millar AM, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, said:
“Our emergency services staff work tirelessly to keep people safe and provide urgent medical aid, but the entire system only works if people use the 999 service responsibly and only in times of genuine emergency.
“One single household dialling 999 nearly every day of the year appears like abuse of the system, which could waste the time of paramedics and threaten lives.
“The Welsh Labour Government’s ambulance response time targets have been missed in 20 of the past 21 months and nuisance 999 calls will only make it more difficult for paramedics to respond to real life-threatening calls.
“All patients have a responsibility to choose the appropriate channel for health concerns through community pharmacies, GPs surgeries and Accident & Emergency to ensure the NHS can provide the appropriate services where and when they are needed.”
