I have to agree with London EMD - we have a much better system in place now for HCP and it makes our lives a lot easier as we don't have to ask the "layman" questions anymore. However at least on this occassion it was actually the Dr who phoned as more often than not it's the receptionist who has no idea what is wrong with the patient other than a very basic diagnosis. You ask if it's life threatening and they answer with "I don't know. Dr just asked me to call for an ambulance". Before the new protocol came in for these types of journeys, you'd ask the AMPDS questions and you could hear the receptionist shouting over to the patient "are you clammy? are you nauseas? etc" Or on the switchside you get a Dr who expects you to be a consultant cardiologist and gives the latin medical term for everything that has happened since the patient walked in and all you really want to ask is "does that mean he's got chest pain?!"