URGENT ATTENTION FOR THOSE USING MEDIC-ALERT BRACELETS
AN URGENT CALL TO THOSE USING THE MEDICALERT SERVICE
The Haywards Heath Lions Club is making an urgent appeal to owners of Medic-Alert bracelets or pendants to replace their old ones with the latest models displaying the new emergency phone number. The Lions who sponsor the Medic-Alert scheme, are concerned that lives could be at risk if the old London dialling code continues to be shown.
Medics coming to the aid of people who have collapsed wearing one of Medic-Alert’s tags call the emergency number to get advice on how to treat them. But if they are dialling the wrong code then the life-saving process could be dramatically slowed down.
Bryan Barnes, from the Haywards Heath Lions Club, said: "Someone with a medical condition, such as diabetes, will probably wear one of these tags with their medical information printed on it alongside an emergency number. If he or she collapses, a medic would call that number to find out what sort of medication that person might need.
"Although the dialling codes for London changed last April people still haven’t replaced their old tags for new ones. People living in London automatically know to dial 020 instead of the old prefix, but someone outside London might not know this.
"Up to October we had a redirecting service but that has stopped and there is now a recorded message asking people to hang up and dial another number. This could cause unnecessary delays in emergency situations"
Advice from the Lions Club is that if anyone still has a bracelet or pendant showing the old number they should immediately call Medic-Alert on 0800 581 420, calls are free. A replacement would then be supplied without charge. |
