PARAMEDICS have hit out at those who make inappropriate 999 calls - including a man who wanted ambulance staff to pass him paracetamol from a nearby table.

Other calls have included complaints about broken fingernails, plus appeals for help with changing a light bulb.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which covers Buckinghamshire, is urging the public to call 999 for emergencies and life-threatening situations only, after it received 1,235 hoax calls and many more inappropriate calls last year.

Paul Jefferies, an experienced paramedic, said: “Inappropriate calls I have regularly experienced include responding to the emergency of a man in ‘severe pain’ and on arrival he wanted me to pass him some paracetamol from a table less than two metres away....

“[Or] people calling 999 because they want a lift to visit a relative in hospital; or people injured with say a broken finger, which is not life threatening, but they have no money to get to A&E.”

“This misuse takes vital resources away from people in life-threatening situations. If you or someone from your family is in cardiac arrest you want to know that that emergency care is going to be with you as quickly as possible.

“However, we have been called miles away to pass someone paracetamol from a table.”

Will Hancock, chief executive of SCAS, said: "For all non life-threatening health issues alternative methods of health care are available to you, such as your GP, NHS Direct, walk-in centres and other out of hours health services."