PEOPLE in the Isle of Man are being asked to think before calling 999 for an ambulance.

The Island's ambulance service has reported an increase in people dialling for an ambulance when they do not require emergency care.

In 2009/2010 6,739 calls were made requesting an ambulance, in 2010/2011 7,121 calls were made requesting an ambulance – an increase of almost six per cent.

Many of these calls required "urgent care" rather than "emergency care" and mean the Island's ambulances (four during the day and three at night) are being put under extra pressure.

To combat this the Department of Health has launched the Choose Well campaign to educate people about when it is appropriate to call an ambulance and the other health services that are available around the Island.

Health Minister David Anderson MHK said: "Our ambulance service exists to deal with medical emergencies for situations where a speedy response by highly trained medical professionals can mean the difference between life and death. 

"Every inappropriate 999 call can result in an ambulance and a paramedic being tied up delivering non-emergency care at a time when a call comes in for a real life threatening emergency where the ambulance and paramedic's intervention would make all the difference."

Steve Sieling, the chief ambulance officer, added: "We have seen an increase every year in ambulance demand but more recently, definitely in the last three years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of calls for what we class urgent care.

"During winter we got called out many times to people who had the winter vomiting virus and ambulance crews spent a lot of time on scene assessing patients but then also making referrals to GPs or other organisations which tied up those ambulances for some time.

"We realise when people phone 999 people must be in a situation where they believe that their problem is an emergency to them and we don't want to deter anyone from ringing 999 but hopefully with the Choose Well campaign we are giving them alternative choices where appropriate."

Information leaflets have been produced detailing other health services that the public can access for urgent and non-urgent care.

These include:

• The Accident and Emergency Department at Noble's Hospital (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)

•  Minor Injuries Unit at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital – available to all residents (8am to 8pm, 365 days a year)

• Manx Emergency Doctor Service (MEDS) (6pm to 8am Monday to Friday and 24 hours a day at weekend and on public holidays)

• GP Surgeries (Monday to Friday, working hours vary, MEDS available out of hours)

• Pharmacies (usually Monday – Saturday, opening hours vary.  A rota is operated for services on Sundays and public holidays)

Leaflets are available from the Department of Health’s website, pharmacies, GP surgeries, Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital, Noble's Hospital and Ambulance HQ.

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Picture caption – L to R: Dudley Butt MLC, Member for Health; David Anderson MHK, Minister for Health; Steve Sieling, chief ambulance officer; Jamie Hawkins, team leader of outpatients services at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital; Ginette Hattersley, senior nurse for outpatients services at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital; Mary O’Dea, manager of the Manx Emergency Doctor Service (MEDS); David Kissack, primary care operations manager; Sue Harper, pharmaceutical adviser; and Maric Thorpe, consultant, Accident and Emergency Department.