North East ambulance service declares another critical incident due to 'unprecedented' pressures across health system
27 December 2022, 17:40
North East Ambulance Service has declared a second critical incident in a matter of days because of "unprecedented" pressure across the health system.
It was declared because of significant delays for more over 100 patients awaiting an ambulance, as well ambulance crews availability due to of delays in handing over patients at the region's hospitals.
Declaring a critical incident allows trusts to give priority to patients most in need and to initiate extra measures to protect the safety of patients.
The announcement comes after the majority of ambulance services in England declared critical incidents on December 21 ahead of industrial action and the Christmas period.
Shane Woodhouse, strategic commander at North East Ambulance Service, said: "This is the second time in nine days that we have declared a critical incident due to the unprecedented pressure we are seeing across the health system.
Read more: Dozens killed as 'blizzard of the century' strikes the US
"Declaring a critical incident alerts our health system partners to provide support where they can and means we can focus our resources on those patients most in need.
"The public should only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency. For all other patients, we are urging them to use www.111.nhs.uk, speak to their GP or pharmacist.
"We will be advising some patients to make their own way to hospital when it is safe to do so.
"We know patients will be experiencing longer waits for an ambulance - please only call back if your condition worsens or to cancel if it is no longer required.
"We are experiencing greater numbers of calls to 111 right now and ask that callers please consider 111 online first and don't call 999 unless your condition is life threatening."
