This survey looked at the experiences of over 2,900 people who called an ambulance service in December 2013 and January 2014.
What did we look at?
We looked at people's views of ‘Hear and Treat’ services – a 999 service in which trained call handlers give medical advice over the telephone to avoid ambulances and paramedics being sent out when they are not needed.
What did we find?
The survey found the majority of respondents had confidence in staff, that they were treated with respect and dignity and were reassured.
However, while nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents who only spoke to one call handler felt the reasons for not getting an ambulance were completely explained to them, 27 per cent felt this was not explained fully.
Comparing the results of whether callers agreed with the decision to send an ambulance, 17 per cent of callers speaking to just one call-handler disagreed with the decision not to send an ambulance despite receiving a full explanation of the reasons.
The results indicate that callers were more likely to disagree with the decision to not send an ambulance if they were not told the reason why, regardless of whether they spoke to one call handler or received clinical advice from a second person.
How did your local trust score?
Find out how the trusts scored below.