999 calls

[Tinpot]

Nearly 2,500 in a month for 85,000 people.

Doesn’t that seem very high? 
 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/dramatic-rise-in-999-calls-on-island-since-pandemic

[manxman1980]

24 minutes ago, Tinpot said:

Nearly 2,500 in a month for 85,000 people.

Doesn’t that seem very high? 
 

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/dramatic-rise-in-999-calls-on-island-since-pandemic

That is an average of 81.8 calls per day in September.  That seems plenty high enough to me.  I am not sure what point you are trying to make?

[WTF]

how many are pissed wankers ringing up 10 times about the same thing though ?

[Tinpot]

12 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

That is an average of 81.8 calls per day in September.  That seems plenty high enough to me.  I am not sure what point you are trying to make?

I am saying it seems like a very high number.  Who is making all these calls?

And why would there be a significant leap in calls needing an ambulance since the pandemic?  Is it mental health issues? Cardiac issues?  Seems very odd to me.  Does anyone have data showing a similar increase elsewhere or is it unique to the island.

[The Phantom]

27 minutes ago, Tinpot said:

I am saying it seems like a very high number.  Who is making all these calls?

And why would there be a significant leap in calls needing an ambulance since the pandemic?  Is it mental health issues? Cardiac issues?  Seems very odd to me.  Does anyone have data showing a similar increase elsewhere or is it unique to the island.

Because a few years ago it was drilled into everyone that they are unable to make risk assessed decisions upon their own health and safety?

Also probably easier to call an ambulance than getting a Doctors' appointment. 

[Roger Mexico]

This is a classic case of someone starting a topic based on a headline, rather reading the full report and listening to the sound clip attached.  The Operations Manager of the Emergency Services Joint Control Room actually says the level of calls is similar to that in the UK, especially when you take into account that there's no 'filtering' system on the Island, the calls go straight through to the ESJCR, rather than via an operator who might pick up some misdirected calls etc.  And he says the rise in calls since Covid is a worldwide thing, not just here.  Perhaps an event making people more aware of their health makes them more aware of their health generally.

As it happens, I'm not even convinced that there is a 'dramatic' rise in calls since Covid.  The figure quoted is 2,455 calls in September 2024, which compares to 2,124 in 2019.  It's a rise of about 16% over five years, not nothing but not that dramatic.  It would need to be set in a wider context, but I can't do that as they seem to have stopped publishing the detailed figures after June 2023.  As with so much recent government activity, supplying information seems to have been replaced by random press releases.

[Tinpot]

6 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

 

This is a classic case of someone starting a topic based on a headline, rather reading the full report and listening to the sound clip attached.  The Operations Manager of the Emergency Services Joint Control Room actually says the level of calls is similar to that in the UK, especially when you take into account that there's no 'filtering' system on the Island, the calls go straight through to the ESJCR, rather than via an operator who might pick up some misdirected calls etc.  And he says the rise in calls since Covid is a worldwide thing, not just here.  Perhaps an event making people more aware of their health makes them more aware of their health generally.

 

I am fully aware of what’s in the audio clip thanks, I listened to it.  I was hoping they might have included some figures to back up what they were saying and am at work in a field so couldn’t easily look any up.

Thats why I asked if anyone had any data showing patterns here and in the UK to confirm

[Harry Lamb]

15 minutes ago, Tinpot said:

I am fully aware of what’s in the audio clip thanks, I listened to it.  I was hoping they might have included some figures to back up what they were saying and am at work in a field so couldn’t easily look any up.

Thats why I asked if anyone had any data showing patterns here and in the UK to confirm

Tinpot: outstanding in his field.

[manxman1980]

2 hours ago, Tinpot said:

I am saying it seems like a very high number.  Who is making all these calls?

And why would there be a significant leap in calls needing an ambulance since the pandemic?  Is it mental health issues? Cardiac issues?  Seems very odd to me.  Does anyone have data showing a similar increase elsewhere or is it unique to the island.

As others have said there is a general increase in the number of 999 calls in the UK as well following the pandemic.   The demand for ambulances is likely driven by people being unable to see their GP or not even trying to see their GP and then needing urgent medical attention.  The underlying reasons could therefore be many and varied and not all would necessarily require a 999 call but it is a way to get help quickly.

There has also been a trend of people calling 999 for non-urgent matters.  If you see an ambulance in the UK it will often have either a warning about Sepsis or it will have a list of who to contact and when (such as a pharmacist, GP, 112 and 999) to try and divert calls away from 999.  

[Passing Time]

1 hour ago, Harry Lamb said:

Tinpot: outstanding in his field.

that's exactly where he should be - standing out in a field...

[Harry Lamb]

1 minute ago, Passing Time said:

that's exactly where he should be - standing out in a field...

Er, he just said he was, hence my comment.

[Andy Onchan]

40 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

As others have said there is a general increase in the number of 999 calls in the UK as well following the pandemic.   The demand for ambulances is likely driven by people being unable to see their GP or not even trying to see their GP and then needing urgent medical attention.  The underlying reasons could therefore be many and varied and not all would necessarily require a 999 call but it is a way to get help quickly.

There has also been a trend of people calling 999 for non-urgent matters.  If you see an ambulance in the UK it will often have either a warning about Sepsis or it will have a list of who to contact and when (such as a pharmacist, GP, 112 and 999) to try and divert calls away from 999.  

  +1, this.

ETA: And it's going to get worse when COMIN introduce charges to see your GP.

Edited Monday at 12:04 PM by Andy Onchan

[WTF]

1 hour ago, Andy Onchan said:

  +1, this.

ETA: And it's going to get worse when COMIN introduce charges to see your GP.

if the GP gets the money for the appointment i imagine getting to see your GP will magically become a lot easier , when you ring desk jockey doris to make an appointment instead of turning into a know it all pseudo GP telling to take an aspirin she will be telling you you'd better come in just to be sure.

[Tinpot]

4 minutes ago, WTF said:

if the GP gets the money for the appointment i imagine getting to see your GP will magically become a lot easier , when you ring desk jockey doris to make an appointment instead of turning into a know it all pseudo GP telling to take an aspirin she will be telling you you'd better come in just to be sure.

Our experience of getting an appointment must be different to everyone else’s 🤷‍♂️

Never had a problem.  It might not be same day and it might not be with a dr but we have always been seen fairly promptly and by someone who can help.

I do have a family member who insists on seeing “their doctor” for the most minor of issues.   She sometimes has to wait weeks

[swoopy2110]

All because of COVID jabs if you believe the whoppers