** Scottish medics inundated by bogus 999 calls
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** Scottish paramedics are apparently contending with a ridiculous number of hoax calls, with some pundits wondering whether cranks are now endangering patients. That is the word from The Sun (Christine Lavelle/October 29) which said the past 12 months have seen 1622 bogus help hails. The number contrasts with 881 fake calls in 2012/13. MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said hoaxers are increasing stress on already overworked medics. In the last five years, EMS across Scotland responded to 2.7 million genuine emergencies and 6,468 hoaxes. The latter amounts to about 25 each week.
