Nuisance 999 calls

[Eve]

What possesses people???

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2127837.h tml?menu=

[ummmm]

I don't think anything possesses them. They are extremely stupid people!

[jno]

drink? There's been some extremely suspicious behaviour on AB tonight, and I suspect the involvement of liquor. Wouldn't be in the least surprised if some of them have been dialling 999 to report ants in their pants.

[kev100]

A friend of mine is an ambulance driver the other night they got a panic call from a female to say her boyfriend was in a coma and she couldn't wake him it turned out that he had drunk a full bottle of vodka.

The hospital should be able to bill these idiots.

[LazyGun]

There is a statutory offence of "wasting police time" that can be brought if the situation is deemed appropriate... I dont see why that cannot be extended to cover improper use of the emergency callout service as well... at the very least a fine for some of the more ridiculous ones.

[jno]

actually, that sounds like a perfectly good reason to me, kev. If she didn't know - or even if she did - she may well have thought his life was in danger.

[kev100]

I'm not saying that medical assistance should be denied to this dimwit,I'm saying we shouldn't be the ones footing the bill for these f**ing idiots

Where should the line be drawn?? All he did officer was take some crack cocaine surely he should be entitled to FREE medical health care, or OK he is from Algeria and hasn't paid a f****g penny into our system but surely he is entitled to FREE health care

When do responsible British people get some credit?

[sp1814]

Kev100

Congratulations...I was wondering how we could get some immigrant-bashing into this thread.

I am overwhelmed with admiration for you.

Okay - here's a test...let's see whether you can work an anti-'immigrant rant into this one from the BBCi website:

Hogmanay weather warning issued

High winds and rain are likely to sweep across central Scotland on Hogmanay, weather forecasters have warned.

I bet it's those immigrants again eh? They come here and change our traditional weather (etc etc, ad lib to fade).

[dyli795]

I don't know how or why, but anyone misusing the emergency services simply has a bit missing from their brain. Although I'd recommend an imediate and hefty prison sentence for said offence I also can't help but pitty them.

[jno]

I've had free health care abroad. It works both ways.

[gina32]

my daughter was involved in a car accident a few years ago, she was in the back seat of the car when it smashed into something, she was the only one hurt and and an ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital, a few weeks later i received a bill for the cost of the ambulance, needless to say i handed it on to the driver, so i think these people who make hoax calls should not only pay for the ambulance but the time that was wasted by all the medical profession

[sp1814]

In a nation of 60 million people, there are bound to be at least a couple of hundred thousand who are so thick that they cannot work out what 'emergency' means (these are the same people who watch 'Shrek' and think it's a documentary.

Unfortunately, there's little we can do - apart from charging them for wasting the emergency services time, to mitigate for their stupidity.

...even if a system was put in place where they'd be charged for their nuisance calls, they'd probably not have the money to pay...because they're stupid.

[dyli795]

so after your medical treatment, it works both ways! it's amazing what they can do nowadays

[joko]

i thought health care abroad for british people was billed back to the nhs by the country involved?

isn't that why we all have to have E111 forms?

[##Wardy##]

Lazygun, there are other laws in place for all emergency services.

Off the top of my head there are a few under The Telecommunications Act, regarding improper use and relaying false messages causing anxiety (i.e the paramedic operator et al)

And also under common law "Public Nuisance", an old, old law which will fit the bill.

[LazyGun]

Wardy, is it your understanding that the current laws would allow for fining / cautioning such nuisance callers?

[##Wardy##]

I believe Public Nuisance falls under the fixed penalty scheme, and Tele Act would be either cautionable or summarily tried.

[LazyGun]

Thanks for the clarification Wardy... so maybe if those occasions where someone is fined or tried/cautioned for such activity was more widely publicized we would see less of the nuisance calls.