Winter is coming and historically this means a big increase in 999 calls. EMAS have launched their winter campaign with the installation of adverts on their double crewed ambulances.
The overall campaign has been designed to raise awareness of the right use of the emergency ambulance service and reduce the number of inappropriate 999 calls received.
The EMAS Communications team designed a number of suggested lines to be used in the adverts. These were emailed to a selection of frontline and support service colleagues who have previously expressed an interested in being involved in public education and promotion of EMAS’s service.
EMAS had useful feedback and the top six adverts were then shared with various stakeholders for their views and to identify any problems with the potential misinterpretation of the statements.
Again useful feedback was received, along with offers of support to help promote the campaign. As expected, there was a healthy debate around all the messages, and the three selected were the preferred options by EMAS staff and stakeholders alike.
There are three sets of adverts that will go onto EMAS double crewed ambulances (over 250 vehicles).
Peter Bainbridge, EMAS paramedic and clinical lead for Derbyshire said: “It’s important that people know when to call 999, and when another NHS service is more appropriate. The adverts we are putting onto our ambulances act as a visual reminder that we are an emergency service. That means our priority is always to respond to people who are reported to be in an immediately life-threatening condition such as cardiac arrest.”
Pete added: “We receive far too many calls from people who could have seen their GP or got same-day treatment from a minor injuries unit or urgent care centre. It’s important that people are aware of their local health services before they need them. NHS Choices provides this information on their website and I urge people to take the time now to get informed.”
In addition to the adverts on ambulances, the EMAS campaign will see the use of posters in community buildings, radio adverts, stories featuring people who have had their life saved thanks to a fast response; possible because the ambulance wasn’t dealing with an inappropriate 999 call, and a competition for children to encourage discussion at school and home about the right use of 999. The campaign starts this month and runs throughout the winter.
