Ambulance Call Outs Up A Third

The number of urgent calls being made to Yorkshire Ambulance Service is more than a third higher than in previous years. And bosses are warning that freezing temperatures and hazardous driving conditions this week will cause the number of slips, falls and road collisions to go up - meaning the service will be stretched even further. It's now urging people to only call 999 in an absolute emergency.

Dr David Macklin, Executive Director of Operations, said: "We have tried and tested plans in place to ensure that we can operate effectively in the adverse weather conditions but ask that members of the public continue to use the service wisely. We don’t want to deter people from calling 999 in serious cases such as heart attack, breathing difficulties or stroke for example and please be reassured that we are focusing our efforts on reaching patients with life-threatening illnesses and serious injuries as a priority.

"Our staff are working extremely hard to get to people who call upon us for help as quickly and as safely as possible but, understandably, hazardous driving conditions may mean that it takes us a little longer than normal to reach patients in the worst-hit areas.

"Please take extra care when out driving or walking and, where possible, avoid travelling at all in icy or snowy conditions. If you do have to go out, ensure that you wear appropriate footwear and warm clothing. Also, please check on elderly and vulnerable relatives and neighbours to ensure they are safe and well.

"Our NHS 111 service is also under pressure and we are asking everyone to be patient as it is taking longer than usual for calls to be answered and for our clinical staff to ring callers back."