The South Western Ambulance Service recorded its busiest day ever on Tuesday as the ongoing heatwave continued to put pressure on NHS services across the region.
Ambulance crews responded to 3,941 incidents in a single day, beating the previous record set on New Year’s Day earlier this year.
The service said demand has remained exceptionally high throughout the Bank Holiday period, with more than 18,000 incidents attended between Friday and Tuesday. That is more than 24 per cent higher than the same period last year.
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Wiltshire and the wider South West, said crews have been dealing with increasing numbers of heat-related calls during the hot weather.
The ambulance service is now urging people to only call 999 in life-threatening emergencies and to make use of alternatives such as NHS 111, pharmacies, GP surgeries and urgent treatment centres where appropriate.
Chief Executive John Martin said crews were receiving calls for issues including sunburn and people feeling unwell in the heat.
He said: “Every less urgent 999 call reduces our ability to respond quickly to patients facing life-threatening emergencies.”
The Trust also asked people not to repeatedly call back asking for ambulance arrival times, warning that repeat calls can delay responses to other patients.
Residents are being advised to drink plenty of water, stay in the shade during the hottest parts of the day and check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours during the heatwave.
Temperatures across parts of the UK have exceeded 30C this week, with forecasters describing the conditions as unusually hot for May.
