Out on my 1st practice placement over Xmas. Yesterdays shift consisted almost entirely of morons with colds/flu/chest infections. Most of them had the symptoms for a few days without bothering to do anything about it then deciding 999 was the way to go. A couple were on antibiotics for a single day before giving up on them and calling us out. All the while as I drove with teeth clenched, listening to the constant general broadcasts of 'high priority' calls being held because no ambulances are available. Some potentially life-threatening and probably couldn't afford the time they would have to wait; most just as pointless sounding as the one we were taking to hospital to wait in line behind other crews (our longest wait was 1hour 45mins but apparently we weren't even close to the record). We were all waiting because all the beds in the hospital were full; mainly full of more selfish morons who think lemsip is beneath them. So the situation snowballs keeping countless emergency crews off the road and unable to actually do what we want to be doing and helping people who need our help. I truly believe that if even half of these idiots with coughs & colds simply do what anyone with an ounce of common sense would do, (i.e. take an over-the-counter remedy, maybe ask the pharmacist for some advice, make an appointment with the GP if things don't improve) then there would be enough of us available to help everyone who needed us, close enough to get there in time to make a difference. We might even have the time to spend on improving our skill and patient care. Crews might not need to be worked to the point of exaustion with no breaks and over their shifts. Control staff might not have to be bombared with constant procedural changes and ridiculous pressures to shave ever more seconds off the precious ORCON times (which make not a blind bit of difference if there's no crews available to be despatched). Charging people for ambulances? Nice idea in theory, but I can just see the same time-wasters being exempt from the charge for various reasons (like being pregnant, on income support, etc) or simply just refusing to pay altogether. Meanwhile my dear grandmother and thousands like her lie in agony with her broken hip, already worried that she'd be a nuisance by calling 999, mercifully unaware of the low priority she would be given, now scared that she will be charged for the ambulance. Think she'd call for help, or wait on the floor till someone happens by to see her? Rant over. I'm gonna go phone my Nan.