THE ambulance service is urging members of the public to remember that 999 should only be used in emergencies.

The East of England Ambulance service’s control rooms handled 90,364 emergency calls last December, a huge leap from the previous year which had 84,291 calls.

On December 19 alone, call handlers took 3,216 calls.

Kevin Brown, Director of Service Delivery, said: “Sadly people will use 999 ‘just because’ but we need them to take a totally different stance.

“Anyone who has had to make a devastating 999 call because they’re with someone in cardiac arrest or with life-threatening injuries will be the first to say it’s not an easy call to make and for our call handlers the worst calls to hear.

“We prioritise people according to the most greatest need, and that means low priority calls may take longer to respond to.

"If you know the situation you’re in doesn’t need an emergency response, please think about alternatives so that we can prioritise our resources for those critically ill patients who need us most.”

The service said prevention is a big factor in helping to reduce the need for 999 calls, and warned that without good medicine management and monitoring existing conditions can lead to complications.

Slips, trips and falls can be avoided with good footwear, handrails, and avoiding very adverse icy and snowy weather while carers of anyone more vulnerable to these should get prepared early when icy conditions are forecast.

The service also urged carers of those with existing medical conditions to ensure they have good stocks of medications and was also keen to impress the importance of being careful on nights out; revellers are urged to ensure any overindulgence in drink is managed with proper meals, soft drinks and water to help prevent unneeded calls.

Mr Brown added: “By taking some simple steps with your health, wellbeing and safety, the chances of you needing any emergency care are greatly reduced and you can get on with enjoying the best bits of winter.”

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