Ambulance call handlers say they're facing unprecedented abuse and death threats

West Midlands Ambulance Service have reported its busiest days on record, busier even than New Year's Eve with around 6,000 calls a day.

Meanwhile, reports of abuse towards call handlers are becoming increasingly common.

“At least once a shift, every one of us will be verbally abused at some point.”

Call assessors have been sharing some shocking examples of the types of verbal abuse they’ve experienced whilst simply trying to do their job.

Handlers say shouting and swearing are becoming the norm, whilst death threats are also common place.

Jeremy Brown, Integrated Emergency and Urgent Care Director, has worked for the service for 30 years both on the frontline as a paramedic and in control.

It comes as West Midlands Ambulance Service had two of its busiest days on record, busier even than New Year's Eve with around 6,000 calls a day.

They say various factors are contributing to the rising demand:

• Hospital pressures means crews aren’t able to offload patients quickly which has a knock-on effect on our ability to get to patients

• An increase in repeat 999 calls to the service

• The warmer weather is exacerbating many medical conditions

The service says 19 of our 20 busiest days they've ever experiences have come in June, July, August and September this year.