AMBULANCE services in the region received one 999 call every 10 seconds on New Year’s Eve.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) received 2,265 emergency calls in the hours between midnight and 7am on New Year’s Day.
Of the 2,265 calls NWAS responded to 546 Category A 999 calls – those that involve serious and immediately life threatening incidents – which is comparable with the same period last year.
While NWAS answered all emergency calls, managers expressed their disappointment that, despite pleas to the public to use the Ambulance Service wisely, they still received inappropriate calls, which included one 999 call asking for a paramedic response to take a dog’s temperature.
Derek Cartwright, emergency service director at NWAS, said: “The service always expects a high increase in demand during this time, however we anticipated this surge and managed it appropriately by increasing resources.
“This included an additional 13 rapid response vehicles, more than 50 extra emergency ambulances and extra staff within the Trust’s three emergency control centres.
“All our staff worked very hard both in control rooms managing emergency calls, deploying vehicles, and frontline crews tending to patients.
“It is their dedication and commitment that enables us to continue to deliver excellent service to the people of the North West – a fact I am sure the general public will recognise. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and commitment.
“We will continue to push the message about acting responsibly and the importance of keeping ambulances free to attend patients with a genuine medical need.”
For clinical advice over the holiday period people can contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk