SNOW DAY: Ambulance service tackles increased calls – Wednesday, December 1

The trust has seen increased calls from falls and road crashes today (Wednesday, December 1) and yesterday (Tuesday, November 30) compared to the same period last week.

Staff are also experiencing some challenges in reaching patients quickly in the worst affected areas.

“We are therefore asking people to bear with us as it may take a little longer than normal to reach people in areas where snow is particularly heavy or roads are icy,” said spokeswoman Liz Spiers.

The trust has also been calling on support from voluntary organisations, including the Red Cross and St John Ambulance.

Director of operations, Sue Harris, said: “We currently have the situation under constant review and have taken a number of measures to ensure we continue to provide the very best service to patients during this challenging time.

“In some areas, where the snow is particularly heavy, mainly in the north of our region, it is taking us a little longer to reach patients.

“Our staff are working extremely hard, often going above the call of duty, to ensure we are able to help local people who call upon our service for help.

“I would like to thank patients and the public for their continued support and to our staff and other volunteers who have really gone the extra mile during very challenging times.

“In some areas staff have remained overnight at their station just so they can continue to provide a service to patients the following day.”