Heatwave piles pressure on ambulance services

Soaring temperatures have been turning up the heat on the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) in recent weeks.

The heatwave has seen a continuing week-on-week rise in the demand for emergency services across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Between Friday and Sunday, SCAS responded to 4,412 emergency calls, of which 1,192 were potentially life-threatening.

The misuse of emergency services costs lives and calling 999 for an ambulance when you do not need one may result in vital resources being unavailable to respond to other patients.

In the first half of this year, SCAS also received 592 hoax calls, with the most severe resulting in criminal proceedings.

Many minor injuries or illnesses are best treated yourself with a first aid kit and a pharmacist can to offer advice in non-emergency situations.