Emergencies only 999 plea

The service is advising people to only call 999 when somebody is seriously ill or injured and there is a possible risk to life.

When it is not as serious the public should consider:

Travelling to the emergency departmentby car or public transport; caring for themselves at home; making an appointment to see a GP or visit an NHS walk-in centre.

Peter Mulchay, head of service for the Trust said: “Our crews are working extremely hard to reach those who urgently need our help as quickly as possible.

“Because of the extreme rise in calls, it is more important that we triage our calls thoroughly.

“There is no doubt those without life-threatening or potentially life-threatening conditions will find themselves waiting some time 
for an ambulance response or be advised to seek alternatives.”