When to Call
The following information provides advice on when to call 000 and request an ambulance. This information should be used as a guide only. If you are unsure about whether a person requires an ambulance, it is recommended that you call 000.
In an emergency:
- If you need urgent medical treatment dial 000 and ask for an ambulance.
- You should ALWAYS call an ambulance in the event of an emergency requiring urgent medical attention.
Examples of medical emergencies include:
- sudden collapse
- chest pain
- breathing difficulty
- motor vehicle/cycle accident
- fractured bones
- uncontrollable bleeding
In urgent medical situations it is most important that you ring 000 for an ambulance, do not panic or drive to hospital yourself.
People driving themselves to hospital in urgent medical situations have often been in accidents not only risking further injury to themselves, but also to everyone else on the road.
Paramedics are highly trained health professionals. They bring modern emergency and resuscitation equipment to the patient and commence lifesaving treatment at the scene as well as continuing this on the way to hospital.
Non-emergency transport
For non-emergency transport, an ambulance may be organised by an authorised staff member at a hospital, doctor’s surgery or health facility.
In these cases ambulance transport is arranged for you if you are not well enough to travel by private or public transport. This might be with an emergency response ambulance or the Patient Transport Service, depending on the medical condition.
Examples of non-emergency stretcher ambulance transport include:
- Admission to hospital from home
- Discharges from hospital to home
- Inter hospital transfers
- Transports to and from nursing homes
- Transports to and from specialist and diagnostic centres
- Transfer of patients to and from Air Ambulance / airports
- Patients requiring day treatment
Your local doctor is the best person to attend to non-life threatening medical conditions.
The following information provides advice on when to call 000 and request an ambulance. This information should be used as a guide only. If you are unsure about whether a person requires an ambulance, it is recommended that you call 000.