London Ambulance Service Declares Emergency as 999 Calls Skyrocket
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has declared a rare ‘business continuity incident’ amid soaring demand on 999 and 111 services. On Monday evening, December 19, 2022, over 500 emergency calls were left waiting, with reports revealing no ambulances available to respond.
Sky-High Call Volume Meets Icy Weather Chaos
Paramedics are battling to handle more than 200 life-threatening ‘red’ calls right now. The crushing pressure comes from a perfect storm of icy weather, soaring emergency calls, and crippling delays at London hospitals. Demand has overwhelmed LAS’s normal capacity, forcing this exceptional action.
“It’s rare that we declare a business continuity incident and we do not take the decision lightly. Extreme weather, coupled with high call volume focused on falls and breathing issues, has limited our capacity to respond safely and timely,” a source revealed.
LAS Pleads with Public to Use NHS111 for Non-Emergencies
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson explained:
“We have declared a ‘business continuity incident’ due to the high demand across our 999 and 111 services. In recent days, we have been taking up to 7,000 999 calls every day compared to a pre-pandemic busy day of 5,500 calls.
“We are doing everything we can to prioritise our sickest and most severely injured patients and would like to remind the public that if they need urgent medical advice that does not require an emergency ambulance, to go to NHS111 online or call 111 for advice and support.”
Business Continuity: Keeping Ambulances Rolling Against All Odds
Business continuity means ensuring LAS runs as smoothly as possible despite the chaos. It’s about building resilience so ambulance crews can reach patients fast, no matter what hurdles arise.
