YORKSHIRE Ambulance chiefs warned people to make 999 calls only in an absolute emergency as crews come under extra pressure from weather conditions.
The Trust’s most urgent ‘red’ call category was 34 per cent higher on Saturday than previous years and, with more snow and ice, an increase in falls and traffic collisions is expected, said Dr David Macklin, executive director of operations.
The region’s NHS 111 urgent care telephone service, run by Yorkshire Ambulance Service, is asking people to be patient waiting for answers and call-backs.
Dr Macklin said: “We have tried and tested plans in place so we can operate effectively in adverse weather conditions but ask the public to continue to use the service wisely. We don’t want to deter people from calling 999 in serious cases such as heart attack, breathing difficulties or stroke, for example.”
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