A PERSON who ate too much kebab, someone who lost their false teeth, someone with a cough and a person who had lost their voice were among the most bizarre 999 calls made to ambulance service in the past year.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has revealed some of the most inappropriate 999 calls, as it reminded the public to only phone 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured.

Of the 414,149 calls to the ambulance service last year, 68,416 were not a life-or-death emergency – an average of 188 calls a day.

Among them was someone with a ring stuck on their finger and one person who had their hand stuck in a letterbox.

Andy Swinburn, executive director of paramedicine, said: “Inappropriate calls put additional strain on an already over-stretched service and may delay help for others.

“Our highly skilled paramedics and technicians are trained to help those whose life is in imminent danger. That’s people in cardiac arrest, people with chest pain or breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, choking, severe allergic reactions, catastrophic bleeding or someone who is having a stroke.

“Our plea to the public is to apply your common sense – most people know the difference between a real emergency and something that is uncomfortable, painful or irritating but not life-threatening.”

Lee Brooks, executive director of operations, said: “If it’s not a serious or life-threatening emergency, it’s really important that you consider the alternatives to 999.

“The NHS 111 Wales website should be your first port of call for advice and information, or you could call 111 if it’s urgent, and our call handlers will help signpost you to the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time.”

Mr Brooks said that Minor Injury Units and pharmacists can also provide non-urgent care and advice for patients.

Below are examples of 999 calls received by the ambulance service in the past year.

‘Too much kebab’

Operator: Tell me exactly what’s happened.

Caller: Yesterday evening, we had some kebab, and I might have had a little bit more than I’m used to, then this morning, I’ve had a very painful stomach.

‘My ring is stuck’

Caller: My ring is stuck on my finger; I need it cut off.

Operator: Is your breathing normal for you?

Caller: My breathing’s fantastic, yeah.

Operator: Are you bleeding or vomiting blood?

Caller: I’m not bleeding, no.

Operator: And do you have any pain?

Caller: Yeah, a little bit.

Operator: From the information that you have provided, you do require a more detailed assessment by a nurse, so an ambulance will not be sent at this time.

Caller: How am I going to get there then? Can you just come and see me please?

‘Could I have swallowed my false teeth?’

Caller: I have a bottom part denture, and I went to clean my teeth and I said, ‘Where’s my false teeth?’ This sounds crazy… but I don’t know what else to do. Could I have swallowed my false teeth?

Operator: So, you don’t know where your false teeth are?

Hand stuck in a letterbox

Operator: Is the patient awake?

Caller: Yeah, it’s me, my hand’s stuck in the door.

Operator: Is the door locked at the moment?

Caller: Yeah, it’s locked. Mam! No, my hand’s stuck in the f*****g letterbox.

Operator: How old are you?

Caller: Open the door, my hand’s stuck!

Accidentally rubbing chilli in eyes

Operator: Ambulance, what’s the address of the emergency?

Caller: Hi, yeah, erm… I know it doesn’t 100% qualify as this but my wife must have accidentally rubbed chilli in her eyes and her eyes are burning. She’s tried washing them and nothing’s happening.

Lost her voice

Caller: What it is with her, her voice has given on her. We don’t know what to do. We’ve tried lemon and whatever, but it’s not doing any good.

Operator: Where is she in pain?

Caller: It’s her throat. She can hardly speak.

Operator: And is it just that she’s lost her voice, is it?

Caller: Yeah.

A cough

Operator: Tell me exactly what’s happened.

Caller: I’ve had a cough for the last couple of days.

Operator: What’s that sorry, you’ve got a cough?

Caller: Yeah.

Operator: We are currently experiencing a large number of life-threatening emergencies. An ambulance is not available to respond to you. Our advice is to ring 111.

Ear piercing ripped out

Operator: Ambulance service, what’s the address of the emergency?

Caller: I wouldn’t say it’s an emergency, but I don’t know how to get down to hospital. I have a piercing in my ear, and it’s pretty much been ripped out and the ball’s stuck in my ear.

Operator: So, the ball from your piercing is stuck inside your ear?