South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) has today stood down from the critical incident declared on Thursday, 25 June, following the recent period of extreme heat.
The Trust is thanking its staff, volunteers and support teams who worked tirelessly to maintain patient care during one of the busiest periods it has ever experienced.
Demand for services rose sharply during the heatwave, with 999 calls handled increasing by 28% compared to the previous week with more than 13,600 calls answered over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
In 111 for Kent and Medway and Sussex, our teams answered more than 9,200 calls, an increase of more than 10% across the corresponding three days the week before.
Although the critical incident has now been stood down, SECAmb is reminding the public to use our service wisely.
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.
• Call 999 in a life-threatening emergency only
• Use NHS 111 or your GP for urgent medical advice
• Consider alternative care options where appropriate
Please note than patients with less serious conditions may wait longer or be clinically assessed and directed to alternative services instead of receiving an ambulance response.