South Central Ambulance Service declares 'critical incident' due to extreme pressures

The ambulance service covering West Berkshire has declared a 'critical incident' due to an "overwhelming" number of calls.

South Central Ambulance Service, which provides the ambulance service for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, requested for people to only call the service for life threatening illnesses and injuries.

Posting on Twitter yesterday evening, it said: "South Central Ambulance Service has declared a Critical Incident due to extreme pressures across our services.

"Our staff and volunteers are working extremely hard to respond to calls but the volume is overwhelming.

"Please, please support us by using our services wisely, we’re here for life threatening illnesses and injuries.

"Thank you so much #HelpUsHelpYou."

Phil Pimlott, assistant director of operations, support services, SCAS NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are extremely busy but are working well with all of our partners at this very challenging time.

"Overnight our staff worked very hard to minimise the time taken to hand patients over to the care of local hospitals.

“Please continue to use our services when you need them - NHS 111 online provides an alternative way to access support 24/7 and it’s important that our local community use this to get signposted to the right place for their health needs."

“Anyone who needs the NHS should continue to come forward, and it remains as important as ever as we go into a busy winter period to get your life-saving Covid vaccine and flu jab.”