Ambulance Service already feeling winter pressures as it responds to 7000 incidents over weekend

The Ambulance Service is “urging” people across the South West to “use its services responsibly” after it responded to over 7,000 incidents at the weekend

Demand for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust’s help was around 10 per cent higher than expected last weekend, according to a spokesperson. It responded to 3,502 incidents on Saturday, October 31 and 3,535 on Sunday, November 1.

South Western Ambulance Service provides emergency care across 10,000 square miles of the South West - 20 per cent of mainland England.

As well as serving Devon, it also covers Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.

It is understood that winter pressures such as an increase in seasonal illnesses, colder weather, and “ongoing delays in transferring patients from ambulances into hospital care” are all contributing to an increased number of 999 calls.

The Trust asks people to follow these pieces of advice:

• Only call 999 for “serious or life threatening emergencies” including “situations where someone is unconscious, not breathing normally, seriously injured, or experiencing severe bleeding”
• Don’t call 999 for an update on an ambulance that has already been arranged
• Get your flu vaccine if you are able
• Choose NHS 111, your GP, or your local pharmacy for non-life-threatening conditions

Residents are also advised by the Trust to take preventative action as cold weather creeps in.

It says by heating your home to at least 18 degrees Celsius, wearing “appropriate” shoes when walking in icy weather, and ensuring you are stocked up on medicines for common ailments, you can keep yourself safe and help the ambulance service “focus on those who need [them] most”.

Wayne Darch, Director of Operations at South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust, said: “This weekend was an incredibly demanding time for our service, and I would like to thank our people for working hard to be there for our communities.

“We are prepared for a challenging winter, but we also need the support of our communities to help ensure our crews can reach those who need us most.

"Every 999 call matters, and we want to be there for people experiencing serious illness or injury. However, it is vital that emergency ambulance resources are prioritised for patients whose lives may be at risk.

"Our teams are working incredibly hard, often in very difficult circumstances. Every decision they make is with patient safety and clinical need at its heart. Please remember to treat them with kindness and respect. They are doing their very best to help those who need them."

The service has said it also expects this week to be busy, as people across the South West travel to attend fireworks displays.

A spokesperson for the Trust offers this advice for those celebrating this week:

• Stand “well back” from any lit firework, even if it hasn’t gone off
• Don’t consume alcohol before setting off fireworks
• Always wear gloves when holding sparklers, and keep a bucket of sand or water nearby to extinguish used one
• Stand “at least” five metres away from a bonfire and avoid wearing loose fitting clothing
• Don’t burn aerosols, batteries, tyres, or anything containing foam or paint on bonfires as these may produce “toxic fumes” or explode