Congratulations, you’ve almost made it to the end of the semester! This is a stressful time with assignment deadlines, Christmas shopping, snow (as if) and fantastically fun SU events. However, while there is a lot to cram into the last week, you shouldn’t forget about yourself! Now, this post isn’t typical welfare advice – this is about emergencies.
Hi, my name is Harry Sampson and I’m your friendly neighbourhood Communications Officer. Today I’ll be talking about the non-emergency contact number 111.
Hi, my name is Harry Sampson and I’m your friendly neighbourhood Communications Officer. Today I’ll be talking about the non-emergency contact number 111.
If you suddenly feel unwell, one of the first responses is to call 999 for an ambulance, just because you feel a bit rotten.
STOP!
This is one of the most common mistakes you can make. Before immediately calling 999, you need to be sure your situation is a genuine emergency, and this can be rather difficult when you (or someone you are with) are feeling rubbish, so here’s a quick guide:
When to Call 999
Always call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. Examples obviously include (but are not limited to):
- Severe Chest Pain
- Difficult Breathing
- Unconsciousness
- Severe Blood Loss
- Severe Burns or Scalds
- Chocking
- Fitting or Concussion
- Drowning
- Severe Allergic Reactions
When to Call 111
This is for when you or someone else is not in immediate danger, but still feels rubbish.
The NHS 111 service (accessed, oddly enough, by dialling 111), offers non-emergency assistance, allowing you to:
The NHS 111 service (accessed, oddly enough, by dialling 111), offers non-emergency assistance, allowing you to:
- Talk about your symptoms, get them assessed, and find out what the next steps are in getting help
- Get advice what to do in various medical situations
- Get access to emergency contraception
- Get general health and medication advice from medically-trained nurses and paramedics
- Get out-of-hours access to healthcare and dental treatments, even at weekends
One Last Thing...
111 is a completely free-to-call number from any UK landline or mobile, available 24/7. It is staffed by a professional, well-trained workforce that are there to help you.
Hopefully you won’t need to use them, but be assured; they’ll be there for you if you do!
Hopefully you won’t need to use them, but be assured; they’ll be there for you if you do!