Ambulance service prepares for busiest day of the year tomorrow (Saturday)

With the Christmas party season in full swing the South Central Ambulance Service is asking West Berkshire residents to spare a thought for ambulance crews.
Spokesman for the ambulance service, James Keating-Wilkes said misuse of the ambulance service ‘costs lives’, particularly in the run up to Christmas, when companies, clubs and societies hold end of year parties.
The last Saturday before Christmas is traditionally the ambulance service’s busiest day of the year.
On Saturday December 17, 2011, the ambulance service dealt with 1,441 calls, which is twenty-two per cent more calls than the average Saturday in 2011.
On an average Saturday last year the service attended 1,179 calls across the four counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
“With the party season upon us once again please drink responsibly and only call for an ambulance in the event of a life threatening medical emergency,” Mr Keating-Wilkes said.
“You can help us by drinking responsibly in the run up to Christmas. The best advice is never to drink and drive. The penalties are severe, but the potential impact on you and other innocent parties can be life changing, even fatal.
“Leave your car at home, use public transport or arrange alternative transport such as a taxi.”
Every incident that South Central Ambulance Service attends costs the tax payer £247, with that in mind Mr Keating-Wilkes is urging members of the public only to call 999 for an ambulance in the event of a genuine medical emergency, such as a serious accident, severe loss of blood, heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke or breathing difficulty.
For non life threatening injuries or illness residents the public are advised to call a pharmacist, GP, NHS direct or visit a hospital.
“Like all public sector organisations the South Central Ambulance Service is under pressure to save money whilst at the same time continuing to provide the best possible mobile healthcare to those who most need it,” Mr Keating-Wilkes added.