Ambulance service in South West faces record demand amid heatwave
Public urged to use NHS services wisely during current hot weather
The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) experienced its busiest day on record, responding to nearly 4,000 incidents across the South West on Tuesday, 26th May.
The sustained high temperatures throughout the Bank Holiday period have increased demand for NHS services, prompting the South Western Ambulance Service to urge the public to protect themselves during the hot weather and choose the appropriate NHS services wisely.
The Trust reported a total of 18,206 incidents between Friday and Tuesday, compared to 14,684 incidents during the same period last year—a rise of over 24%.
To help alleviate pressure, people are encouraged to consider alternatives like NHS 111, pharmacies, GP services, and urgent treatment centres, reserving 999 calls for life-threatening emergencies only.
Simple precautions during the heat include staying hydrated, wearing sunscreen, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and checking on vulnerable individuals.
John Martin, SWASFT Chief Executive, said:
“We want to be there for everyone that needs us in a life-threatening emergency; to do this, we need to have our ambulances free to respond to those most in need.
If you call us and we’re not the right service for you, we will direct you to another part of the NHS, please do listen to this advice, as it could mean that you get the help you need more quickly.
We are receiving calls for issues such as sunburn, feeling hot, and other non-emergency conditions that can often be managed through self-care, pharmacies, NHS 111 or other healthcare services. Every less urgent 999 call reduces our ability to respond quickly to patients facing life-threatening emergencies.
999 should be used for serious medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest, chest pain, breathing difficulties, suspected stroke, loss of consciousness, choking, severe allergic reactions or catastrophic bleeding."
Dr Martin adds: "Our teams are working incredibly hard alongside NHS partners to manage these unprecedented levels of demand, and we are sorry when we cannot reach some patients as quickly as we would like.
Please do not call back to ask for an ambulance arrival time. We are unable to provide estimated arrival times and repeat calls can delay our response to other patients needing urgent help.
I would like to thank our staff and NHS partners across the region for their continued dedication in delivering the best possible care under extremely challenging circumstances."
The Trust continues to monitor the situation closely and collaborate with NHS partners to ensure patients receive the best possible care during extreme weather conditions.