MORE than £1m of public money is wasted every month when ambulance crews are called out but find nobody to treat.

Data shows there are, on average, 1,181 North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) responses every month to locations where no patients are found, which costs the NHS £171,000 a month.

Figures show that a further 6,207 responses are made to people who refuse care and treatment from paramedics when they arrive on the scene at a cost of £900,000 a month.

With each of these call-outs costing around £145, the total price of wasted ambulance journeys costs the region’s ambulance service, and the public purse, a staggering £12,855,120 a year.

NWAS has published the figures as part of its ‘make the right call’ campaign which urges the public to cancel 999 calls if they no longer need help.

The campaign also calls on people to choose the right NHS service to get the most appropriate care and ensure ambulances are only going to people who really need them.

Director of operations at NWAS Ged Blezard said the cost of wasted journeys was significant.

Mr Blezard added: “So is the amount of time that we spend looking for people who we think need our help when we could actually be helping someone else.

“There are many reasons why people may not be there when our crews arrive. Sometimes they decide to go to hospital with a family member, or get treatment elsewhere, but don’t let us know.

“This could be down to unrealistic expectations of how quickly ambulances respond, or because we are simply that busy that they, unfortunately, have to wait longer for a response than we would like."

He said people should call 999 when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

For urgent medical advice when it’s not an emergency, they can get help at 111.nhs.uk.

He added: “It is really important that if people no longer need us they call 999 to cancel so that we can get to the next patient quickly and don’t waste time trying to find people who don’t need or want our help.

“Winter is always the busiest time of year for the ambulance service. 999 calls increase as the weather gets colder and party season is under way.

“It’s even more important at this time of year that you help us to help you. “

NWAS crews respond to 3,000 incidents every day across five counties - Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside.