38% rise in calls to Scottish Ambulance Service over Hogmanay

Scotland's ambulance workers experienced a surge in demand over Hogmanay, with calls to the service up by more than a third compared with the same time last year.

Ambulance control centres received 2,565 calls between 7pm on New Year's Eve and 7am on January 1.

This represented an increase of 38.4% compared with the same time 12 months ago.

A service spokesman said the early hours of the morning were particularly busy, with 1,879 calls received between midnight and 7am - a 45% rise on last year's figures.

Additional call handlers, dispatchers, ambulance crews and support staff were on duty to deal with what is always one of the busiest nights of the year, the spokesman added.

Pauline Howie, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: `The festive period has been a challenge for the service, due to a significant increase in demand and pressures on the system.

`Yet again our staff in our control centres, on the front line, support staff and volunteers have risen to this challenge and showed what an incredible group of dedicated people they are.

`Working in often challenging and relentless circumstances, they did a fantastic job of managing and responding to this big increase in demand and showed that across the country, we continue to strive to deliver the highest level of care to our patients.'