I don't know how the LAS works and the prices they charge (i haven't been following your blogs for that long...unfortunately!) but here in Sydney the Health Services Union (of which ambulance officers are a part of) have been known to have 'paperwork bans' where we fill out our casesheets for each job as normal, file them on station but don't send them on to head office. Therefore they receive no stats, or any patient information and therefore unable to charge anyone we attended. This usually results in pretty quick action. I think your 100% correct in suggesting misuse of ambulance resources is more often the cause of delays in getting crews to people who are...actually sick. I get some sort of sick satisfaction reading your blogs and knowing that it also occurs in such frequency over there though and not just here hehe. This public perception that there are ambulances on standby for them around the corner 24/7 and that calling out an 'emergency' vehicle for every minor affliction known to man is OK needs to change. As much as i may get slightly annoyed with peoples attitudes about this is it any wonder they do? I mean with no education or ad campaigns to promote what we are there for, when to call, who we are, can we really blame them? I can't speak for the LAS but here there's absolutely nothing, unless you purposely go looking for it.