Ambulance Service sees further rise in 999 calls

Ambulance Service sees further rise in 999 calls

The North West Ambulance Service saw a 12% increase, compared to the same period last year, in the number of 999 calls for people with serious life-threatening illnesses/conditions, as they faced heavy snowfall and low temperatures in some areas of the North West over the four days 19 - 23 January 2013.

The Trust responded to approximately 10,300 incidents across the region from Friday to Monday, with 41% of those calls being graded as high priority. Staff and managers worked very hard to prepare for the anticipated increase we always see when cold and severe weather hits.

Acting Director of Operations, Derek Cartwright comments: "This time of year is traditionally one of our busiest times, but add extreme weather to the picture, and calls for help from genuinely ill people dramatically increase. The conditions being presented are generally respiratory related which particularly affects the under 16s and over 65s, which has seen a 7% rise. We have also seen an 8% increase in fall related incidents. 

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff and working partners for their efforts to ensure the service ran with minimal disruption."