South West Ambulance service preparing for busy winter

The Trust has warned of 'significant and sustained demand' across its 999 services during the colder months.

This forecast aligns with pressures seen regionally and nationally across health and care organisations.

The approach of winter brings with it a rise in flu and other respiratory illnesses.

The anticipated drop in temperatures, coupled with ongoing ambulance handover delays, is expected to add to the challenges already faced by the region's ambulance service.

The Trust has put together an extensive winter plan.

Its leaders are asking communities to follow certain steps to help manage the demand on services.

The drop in temperatures and ongoing ambulance handover delays are expected to add to the challenge (Image: South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust)

They advise people to only call 999 when someone is seriously injured or ill and their life may be at risk.

This includes situations where someone is unconscious, not breathing or bleeding heavily.

People are urged not to call 999 back to ask when an ambulance will arrive unless the patient's condition has deteriorated or they no longer need an ambulance.

This is because ambulances are dispatched to patients with the most life-threatening conditions first.

Jessica Cunningham, executive director of operations at SWASFT, said: "We know this winter is going to be a very challenging time for us, which is why we’re urging local communities to use our services responsibly, and choose the right care for them.

"We want to be there for everyone that needs the ambulance service in an emergency – to help us achieve this we need to have our crews available for patients with the most life-threatening conditions.

"Please only call 999 if someone is seriously injured or ill, for anything else, please contact NHS 111."

Ms Cunningham also expressed gratitude towards the staff and NHS colleagues who will be working throughout winter to ensure public safety and well-being.

She added: "Should you need their help, please be kind to them as they are all working hard under significant daily pressures."

SWASFT and its system partners will continue to run Care Coordination Hubs across the South West this winter.

These hubs bring together multidisciplinary teams, including ambulance service clinicians and health and social care professionals.

They provide real-time access for patients to health and urgent care services within the community or secondary care.

The hubs help reduce avoidable emergency department admissions and thus, avoidable ambulance dispatches and conveyances, while improving patient outcomes, quality of care and experience.

The Trust is also deploying more clinicians in their Emergency Operations Centres in Exeter and Bristol this winter.

These clinicians will assist in remotely triaging appropriate care for patients quickly and efficiently, again helping to prevent avoidable emergency department admissions and ambulance dispatches.

For non-life-threatening emergencies, people can access appropriate care by visiting NHS 111 online, contacting their GP, or getting advice from a pharmacy.