From transcripts of calls made to the Welsh Ambulance Service in 2023.

operator: Tell me exactly what’s happened.

caller: Yesterday evening, we had some kebab, and I might have had a little bit more than I’m used to. This morning, I have a very painful stomach.

caller: I have a bottom-part denture, and I went to clean my teeth, and I said, “Where’s my false teeth?” Could I have swallowed my false teeth?

operator: So you don’t know where your false teeth are?

operator: Is the patient awake?

caller: Yeah, it’s me, my hand’s stuck in the door.

operator: Is the door locked at the moment?

caller: Yeah, it’s locked. Mum! No, my hand’s stuck in the fucking letter box.

operator: How old are you?

caller: Open the door—my hand’s stuck!

operator: Tell me exactly what’s happened.

caller: I’ve had a cough for the past couple of days.

operator: What’s that, sorry? You’ve got a cough?

caller: Yeah.

operator: We are currently experiencing a large number of life-threatening emergencies. An ambulance is not available to respond to you.