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Topic: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?  (Read 8064 times)

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Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« on: June 06, 2004, 11:17:55 PM »
I always posted the number for Poison Control on our fridge in the States.  Is there such a thing in the UK, specifically Britain?  Or does one contact 999 for such circumstances?


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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2004, 06:36:34 PM »
muse...I'm sorry to not see any answers here. When you first posted I actually did some looking around on the Net and came up empty. This was rather shocking, so I knew if I had more time, I'd certainly find *something*.

Basically the ony thing I can find is that you call the NHS helpline. 0800 22 44 88 (it's free)
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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2004, 06:59:20 PM »
I'm not sure what is meant by poison control? do you mean a number to call if say your child drinks the windowlene or do you mean a pesticide place that gets rid of mice etc?


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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2004, 07:08:40 PM »
She means the kind where the kid swallows something! In the US they used to hand out stickers to put on anything poisonous with a big green unhappy face (Mr Yuk?) and they taught all kids that he was bad news. There was also a phone number on the sticker in case the kid didn't see it or ignored it! The number was always listed with all emergency numbers, too.

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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2004, 07:15:07 PM »
That's cool! i want some of those stickers! I am not aware of any such equivilant here and nothing like it is listed in the emergency numbers in the phone book. I'd call 999.


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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2004, 10:00:01 PM »
Stuff over here that's potentially poisonous often comes in a ribbed bottle (feelable ridges in the bottle running top to bottom) so that people with visual deficiencies can tell that the bottle contains poison.  Plastic bottles (I am looking at a bottle of Safeway Vecta bleach as I write this) often have a braille embossing on them.  My Vecta bottle also has on its label a thick black cross on orange, and "IRRITANT" printed below it.  The fact that in the UK you can't get off the shelf a lot of pharmacy stuff that it seems you can in other countries, is to do with the control of dangerous substances.  It's quite a palaver to get a gun, too.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2004, 10:53:22 PM by howard »
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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2004, 10:59:03 PM »
But in reply to Muse's specific question, 999 is the number to ring.  It will get you police, fire brigade and ambulance.  (It will also get you the Coastguard)
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Re: Is there an equivalent to Poison Control in the UK?
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2004, 09:42:59 PM »
Thank you all for your response and help.  I guess 999 is my answer.  I am still not sure if the person on the other end of 999 is as specialized in poison information as the Poison Control in the U.S. but oh well.  (not ripping on UK or anything!)


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