999 Call Coding and Ambulance Response Times

When a 999 call requesting an ambulance is received, the operator who initially answers the call will allocate the call a code based on the conversation they have with the caller and their interpretation of the information they have been given.

There have been a number of cases reported in the press recently where operator services have incorrectly coded a 999 call which has meant a delay, in some cases severe, in the ambulance reaching the patient.

A case reported in the Daily Telegraph in November 2014 highlights the alleged crisis in the ambulance service in some parts of the country. A three year old girl, Angel Smith, died following a house fire.

Angel was rescued from her house by the fire service, but it took the ambulance over half an hour to arrive, by which time Angel had been taken to hospital by the Police, following 20 minutes during which neighbours had tried to revive her. Wales Ambulance Service, investigating, said that they were reviewing the coding associated with house fires after the call was not classified as red in the first instance.

Whether or not a claim will result from this incident only time will tell. We give it as an example of the sometimes catastrophic consequences that can occur when an ambulance is late arriving to the scene of an incident.

Information on the different types of code that can be allocated to a call are shown below.

In July (2017) NHS England announced a new response programme for Ambulances and 999 calls. The new system will require 999 call handlers to assign calls into four categories:

Category 1 will be for life threatening calls which include cardiac arrest and serious allergic reaction. A paramedic will be required on the scene in 7 minutes.

Category 2 will be for emergency calls which include strokes and burns and will require an 18 minute response time.

Category 3 is urgent calls which will include late stages of labour and minor burns and should be responded to in 120 minutes.

All other calls will be in category 4, which is for less urgent calls and should get a response in 180 minutes.