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Yorkshire Ambulance Service set for busiest day of the year
David Williams
AMBULANCE staff are on standby for one of their busiest days of the year.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust traditionally receives more calls on New Year’s Eve than any other time.
And this year staff are having to cope with record numbers of 999 calls from people across the region.
The trust has already responded to more than 3,000 more patients this month compared to December 2011, and it has seen an increase of 15 per cent in the number of people calling with a potentially life-threatening illness or injury.
The trust’s deputy director of operations David Williams said they have extra resources available to cope with demand, but warns that 999 calls for trivial incidents and minor conditions are potentially putting those with life-threatening illnesses and injuries at risk.
He said: “We continue to urge members of the public only to call us when someone requires immediate medical assistance for a condition such as a heart attack or stroke and ask that people who simply need advice or treatment for minor illnesses and injuries or transport to hospital consider the other services available.
“The 999 service should only be used for serious medical emergencies and to ensure that our valuable resources can reach those most in need quickly, we need members of the public to play their part and use the service responsibly.”
People who require treatment or advice for a minor condition should contact other healthcare services, such as your GP or NHS Direct.
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Sunday 26 May 2013
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