AMBULANCE chiefs have thanked call centre staff who, since April, have saved about 6,000 emergency calls being attended unnecessarily.

The figures, published as part of a new awareness campaign by North West Ambulance Service, highlight the ‘significant need’ to educate the public about when to call 999, and what might happen when they do.

Carol Robertson, a specialist paramedic who works on the urgent care desk, said: “I often answer calls where people are ill but their condition is not serious and can be treated at home.

“I’ve received my fair share of unusual calls, including a patient who called with a broken nail. We don’t want to discourage people from calling 999.

“But it’s important they understand that calls can result in their ailment being treated within the community or even at home.

“And they won’t necessarily receive an ambulance response or be taken to hospital.”