"My father who was very unwell."

While on holiday with my wife, we had a conversation with my 83 year old father who had developed a range of pain and worrying symptoms that he could not explain. My father had rung 111 at 10 in the morning with his symptoms and was advised that a doctor would visit him at home.

As the time was now past 5 in the afternoon while we were having our conversation and no doctor had arrived or rung, we decided to call 999 in case his conditions needed urgent assistance. An ambulance car arrived within two minutes of the call going through and an exceptionally calm and professional para-medic managed to get my father stabilsed from his distressed state. After an hour she left my father feeling far better, almost pain-free and calm enough to sleep through the night for the first time in many weeks. No hospital visit was necessary.