Daily 999 calls to East Midlands Ambulance Service in 2022 exceeded New Year's Eve total
Figures released today reveal the pressure East Midlands Ambulance Service has been working under during 2022.
In the first nine hours of New Year’s Day 2023, the service received more than 1200 calls to its 999 service.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are traditionally the busiest times of year for the emergency service, as people celebrate with nights out and alcohol.
However, the service revealed that total has been exceeded regularly on days during 2022.
East Midlands Ambulance Service said, "The demand on our ambulance service continues to be as a result of the wider healthcare system remaining under intense pressure.
"Therefore, this new year we are asking members of the public to be responsible for their own health and think very carefully about what they can do to care for themselves at home or use NHS 111 online to determine which NHS service is right for them before asking for help."
University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) are the most recent to declare the status, along with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
The critical incidents have been announced due to overcrowding in emergency departments and delays in discharging patients.
The status was also announced last week by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Nottingham University Hospitals.
East Midlands Ambulance Service is urging people to allow the service to be used for those who really need it, who are in a life-threatening emergency such as a cardiac arrest or stroke.
They say help with less serious conditions is available from GP surgeries, pharmacies, Urgent Treatment Centres, visiting NHS111 online, or by visiting local walk-in centres.