South East Coast Ambulance Service has stood down from the critical incident declared during the recent period of extreme heat.
The Trust declared the critical incident on Thursday, 25 June, after demand for its services rose sharply during the heatwave.
SECAmb says it has now stood down from the incident, but is continuing to remind the public to use its services wisely as crews remain busy.
The Trust has thanked staff, volunteers and support teams who worked to maintain patient care during what it described as one of the busiest periods it has ever experienced.
Demand for 999 services increased by 28% compared with the previous week, with more than 13,600 emergency calls answered over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
NHS 111 services for Kent and Medway and Sussex also saw a rise in demand, with teams answering more than 9,200 calls. That was an increase of more than 10% compared with the same three days the week before.
John O’Sullivan, Strategic Commander, said: “I would like to express my sincere thanks to our staff, volunteers and support teams who have shown extraordinary commitment and resilience throughout this challenging period. Their dedication ensured we continued to provide care to those who needed us most.
“While we have now stood down from the critical incident as temperatures begin to ease, we remain busy. We would ask the public to continue to use our services wisely.”
SECAmb is urging people to carefully consider whether they need an ambulance response.
The Trust says 999 should only be used in a life-threatening emergency.
People who need urgent medical advice, but whose condition is not life-threatening, are being advised to use NHS 111 or contact their GP.
Patients with less serious conditions may wait longer, or be clinically assessed and directed to alternative services instead of receiving an ambulance response.
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