Alien invasion? Call #team999

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust has created an online game to educate people about what happens when they call 999.

The game lets players create their own emergency animations – although in gaming fashion they include shark attacks and giant icebergs as well as more mundane medical emergencies.

It then selects the most appropriate response to the situation. The whole idea is part of the trust’s #team999 campaign.

This aims to educate people that calling 999 does not necessarily mean getting an ambulance or a trip to A&E; and to encourage them to consider other medical services.

To play the game, players use a series of buttons to select a scenario, such as the beach or the office, an injury and an unusual cause; ranging from eating too much junk food to alien invasions.

The game then suggests a response; which may include call backs from specialist paramedics, home visits from doctors, air ambulance and traditional ambulances.

The trust’s chief executive Bob Williams said the campaign aims to bring to life the options available to the ambulance service and how they decide the right care for the patients.

“There is far more to the modern ambulance service than just emergency ambulances. It’s all about getting the right care for each patient and keeping ambulances free for those with life-threatening conditions,” he said.

“Through the randomiser game, we hope to raise awareness amongst younger people, in a humorous way, of what they can expect when calling on the ambulance service for help.”

The #team999 campaign also includes a series of roadshows about what can happen following a 999 call to the ambulance service.

On the trust’s website, people can also find out more about the different roles offered by the service, such as ambulance crews, medical dispatchers and specialist paramedics.

According to its website, the trust sends out its emergency resources nearly 5,000 times a day, on average.