Here are some of the silliest emergency calls to the Welsh Ambulance Service in 2023: 'A really sore stomach'

The untold costs of supposedly “free” health care included some ridiculous “emergencies” that only aggravated the bogged down first responders.

“Could I have swallowed my false teeth?”

Despite clear records of failure, with the help of the corporate media, then-President Barack Obama pushed the false narrative that if you like your doctor you can keep them while his administration steered America in the direction of socialized medicine.

While promises to undo the Affordable Care Act 'root and branch' have not been kept, the Welsh Ambulance Service has published some of the 'most inappropriate calls' received by dispatchers which could portend the dark comedy heading to America if it follows a similar trajectory.

In chronicling the 414,149 calls received in 2023, the Welsh Ambulance Service detailed that 68,416 were non-emergencies, an average of nearly 200 per day. With complaints of chili rubbed in one eye, a ring stuck on her finger and a family member who has lost her voice, agency officials lamented the lack of discernment of their compatriots by dialing the equivalent of 911.

“Inappropriate calls put extra pressure on an already overstretched service and can delay help for others,” said Andy Swinburn, Executive Director of Paramedicine. “Our highly qualified paramedics and technicians are trained to help those whose lives are in imminent danger.”

“That's people in cardiac arrest, people with chest pain or difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, choking, severe allergic reactions, catastrophic bleeding, or someone suffering a stroke,” he continued. “People who have been coughing for a couple of days have a legitimate clinical need, but it's not fair to call 999 when there are so many other ways to get help.”

“Our plea to the public is to apply your common sense: Most people know the difference between a true emergency and something that's inconvenient, painful or irritating but not life-threatening,” Swinburn said.

Published examples of inappropriate calls included a partial transcript of a person concerned about their dentures. “I have a back set and I went to get my teeth cleaned and I said, 'Where are my false teeth?' This sounds crazy…but I don't know what else to do.Could I have swallowed my false teeth?

“So you don't know where your false teeth are?” repeated the operator.

In another example, someone complained: “We had a kebab last night, and I might have had a little more than I'm used to, and this morning I had a really sore stomach.”

“I wouldn't say it's an emergency,” described one caller, “but I don't know how to get to the hospital. I have a piercing in my ear, it's pretty much ripped out and the ball is stuck in my ear. 'ear”.

Another call, prompting the operator to redirect the individual, came with a bit of a reality check about the overwhelmed system that decoupled health care costs from the individual to the government through taxation.

“I've had a cough for the past two days,” the individual reported.

“What's that, do you have a cough?” he asked the operator earning a “Yes” in response.

“We are currently experiencing a large number of life-threatening emergencies. There is no ambulance available to respond to you,” the operator explained bluntly. “Our advice is to call 111.”

This message was echoed similarly by chief operating officer Lee Brooks, who said: “We are here to help people in their hour of need, but we also need the public to come forward and be responsible for your health and well-being at a time when NHS services are stretched beyond measure.”

Staff writer

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College, where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and seeker of truth, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and dog, and when he's not researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel ·the.

Latest messages from Kevin Haggerty (see everything)

We have zero tolerance for comments that contain violence, racism, profanity, profanity, doxing, or rude behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it, click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for engaging with us in a fruitful conversation.