CARINS, Australia — Recent, bizarre calls such as burst pimples, flat tires and faulty microwaves are just some of the events that have been taking up emergency responder time in Carins, Australia.
“The big message is we’re not telling people not to call; we just want people to think before they call,” James Andrews, a Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic and United Voice area delegate, told Carins.com.
He said paramedics were frustrated by the nuisance call-outs, which have jumped to more 50 a week.
“The Gen Y, younger population, will call us because they’ve coughed, or can’t get an appointment with their doctor,” he said.
He also blames the belief that an ambulance ride will give a patient priority at a hospital for the rise in nuisance call-outs.
Although the ambulance service’s time would be better served responding to genuine emergencies, he said, they were obligated to answer each and every call.
“I’ve done a 40km emergency lights and sirens drive to somebody who asked for, when they called, two Panadol for a toothache. It’s mind blowing. There could be somebody dying two streets away, but you’re not showing as a resource because you’re allocated to a job already.”
Aside from eating up ambulance service time, the rise in trivial calls is also contributing to patient ramping a Cairns Base Hospital. According to Andrews, the nuisance calls are taking up the time of medical personnel and space for patients who actually need it.
The hospital is currently under pressure to deal with the number of patients admitted to its emergency department.