Ambulance service chief's 999 calls plea

People in Sunderland are being urged to help ease the pressure on the ambulance service which has seen a huge rise in 999 calls.

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) chiefs say demand for the 999 service has risen by almost 68% compared to levels that would normally be expected at this time of year.

They say using www.111.nhs.uk online offers patients advice on the best option for them to get the care they need - including getting a call back from a qualified clinician, booking them an appointment in A&E or providing advice on how to help them recover.

In the last week, NEAS has received 12,706 emergency calls compared to just 7,571 for the same week in 2019 before the pandemic.

Call handlers have also reported some extraordinary 999 calls in recent days for non-emergency issues such as a person who had fallen earlier in the day, gone to A&E, but because there was a long wait, went home and called 999 instead.

NEAS chief executive Helen Ray said: “We have seen demand on our 999 services match or exceed a pre-pandemic New Year’s Eve.

"We are prioritising those patients that are the sickest or most severely injured and everyone who needs an ambulance will get one, but there are some patients who could access care using other options.”

People should continue to contact 999 if they experience signs of a heart attack, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke, heavy bleeding that won’t stop and seizures.

For other issues, people should call 111 or access it online at www.111.nhs.uk