Today, Tuesday 22 September, we are experiencing significant pressure on our 999 service, particularly across the Thames Valley.
Our teams are working hard to respond to patients who need urgent and emergency care, but demand is currently high and pressure is expected to continue into the evening and overnight.
There are several ways the public can help us ensure our ambulance crews and emergency control room teams are available for those who need them most:
- Use the right service for your healthcare needs. If your condition is not a life-threatening emergency and you are unsure where to go for help, contact NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk for advice and guidance.
- Expect longer waits for an ambulance if your condition is not immediately life-threatening. Calls are prioritised according to clinical need, so patients with the most serious conditions will be responded to first.
- Make your own way to hospital or another treatment centre where it is safe to do so. Arriving at an emergency department by ambulance does not mean you will be seen more quickly if you do not require immediate emergency care at hospital.
- If you call 999 for a less serious condition, you may be redirected to another appropriate healthcare service or provided with clinical advice over the telephone.
- If you are already waiting for an ambulance, please only call us back if the patient’s condition gets worse or you no longer require an ambulance. Calling back to ask when the ambulance will arrive can delay our ability to answer other emergency calls.
We are working to increase the number of available ambulances and operational staff as we move into the evening. However, we expect pressure on the service to remain overnight.
If someone is seriously ill or injured, or their condition is life-threatening, always call 999.