Support NHS in busy festive time

With the busy Christmas and New Year period just around the corner, and the arrival of colder winter weather likely to lead to an increase in certain calls, the public is being asked to do all it can to support the ambulance service and wider NHS.

Throughout December, South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust – SECAMB – is expecting to handle in the region of 90,000 999 calls and attend approximately 40,000Category1andcategory2 999calls–thetwohighestcategories of call for its most seriously ill or injured patients.

In excess of 10,000 calls are expected to be triaged a s Category 3 calls to which ambulance service aim to respond to in under two hours, although this is likely to be longer at peak periods as resources are targeted towards higher category calls.

Other callers will speak to a clinician over the phone and be provided with advice and, if required, a referral to a more appropriateservicefortheirneeds.

SECAMB’S NHS 111 service is also anticipating a busy period withcallsexpectedtorangefrom up to 3,500 calls a day during the week to up to 5,000 calls a day at weekends.callstoitsserviceare expectedtoincreasetoashighas 8,000 at peak days over Christmas and New Year.

People are asked to only dial 999inanemergencyandtomake use of alternatives if it’s not an emergencyincludingusingnhs 111 Online for help and advice at www.111.nhs.uk. People are reminded to speak to their GP or a pharmacist for advice and to familiarise themselves with pharmacy, walk-in centre and urgent treatment centre opening times at www.nhs.uk