East Midlands Ambulance Service got 999 call asking for 'lift to hospital'

“By putting A&E the other end of the city was asking for trouble. At the DRI it was central, one bus journey for everyone. Now it is two expensive bus rides or an expensive taxi ride so yes people are going to ring an ambulance because it is free, emergency or not.”

“Due to H&S laws + negligent claims a firm used to have first aiders who could dress a cut or give a paracetamol all the first aider can do now is arrange for transport to hospital”

“and they dont waste any money at all as the call handler would be working anyway - ie if they called or not - its like the fire sevice banging on about cats in trees, they say its a waste of money well errrr hold on they would only be playing games or sleeping or cleaning the station and so on, the only thing that would be used is a bit of diesel. as for a real call for a fire then leave the cat untill later.”

“@tamas no one would die as there are plenty of call handlers in that place and they would never send a ambulance, dont belive everything you read its just the paper trying for a story to pull people like you in. im sure all services staff are very good at there job and deal with every caller with tact. calm down everyones safe”

“Ok. Maybe it isn't as simple as a 'fatuous one liner', but these idiots cost our services time and money and they put lives at risk. I'm sure that technology these days combined with collaboration with the phone companies would make it fairly easy to trace these callers.

Charge them with wasting police time and fine them the full costs of what it actually costs to catch them.”

“Perhaps "Tamas" you would like to prepare a piece of workable enforceable legislation that makes calling for an ambulance illegal to people who fail the "Tamas" test of eligibility -whatever your wisdom deems that to be.

Perhaps some guidance for the judiciary on sentancing, a review of the costs to the taxpayer in terms of the criminal justice system and where this sits in terms of policing priorities and budgets could also be included.

I look forward to reading a reasoned and well thought out proposal instead of a fatuous one liner.”

“Aren't they? If an idiot phones for an ambulance because he has a poorly finger and that ambulance crew miss out on saving someone's life then I'd say they are as bad as murderers.”

“There not criminals are they”

“Ok trickybrewer, just let them off then. Seems that is the norm for criminals these days anyway.”

“This happens all the time - we all know it - i bet most of thease people are most likely drunk - druged up or just not well in the head or even very old and have no other choice. Im sure the sevice are used to phone calls of this type, just give advice and move on. Hard up for storys are we.”