Student's 999 call for painkiller

A Cambridge University student dialled 999 for an ambulance as she needed some painkillers, according to paramedics.

The 19-year-old student was said to have run out of her pain relief tablets which she needed for period pains.

East Anglian Ambulance Service said an emergency crew was called to the student's flat on Saturday afternoon.

The spokesman added: "It should be obvious to anyone that if you want some paracetamol, an emergency ambulance is not the place to get it from".

For someone who is supposed to be intelligent you would think would have more common sense than to dial 999 for some pain relief Ambulance spokesman

The call came through at about 1640 BST from King's Parade, Cambridge, and sparked a full blue-light response from the ambulance service.

"They (the paramedics) gave her a bit of a lecture about what an emergency ambulance is for and what it is not for and that there are pharmacies for things like that," said the spokesman.

"For someone who is supposed to be intelligent you would think would have more common sense than to dial 999 for some pain relief.

"If it had been more than the usual type of pain and it had required hospital treatment, then fair enough. But that obviously wasn't the case - she just needed some painkillers".

Wes Streeting, president of Cambridge University Students' Union, said there was always a nurse on hand at every college to provide round-the-clock medical care.

"We encourage students to use emergency services responsibly," he said. "In this case there would have been a number of options available."