Overview
- London Ambulance Service recorded its busiest day on June 26 when it handled 8,869 emergency 999 calls including 688 Category 1 life‑threatening incidents.
- South East Coast Ambulance Service answered more than 13,600 calls over three days, a 28% rise, and has stood down the critical incident it declared during the heatwave.
- Welsh Ambulance Service also stood down a critical incident after three days of sustained pressure but said demand remains significant and warned of longer waits for non‑serious cases.
- Trusts deployed contingency measures such as more than 400 extra ambulance crews, increased 999/111 control‑room staffing, phone triage and targeted work with hospitals to speed handovers.
- Services urged the public to reserve 999 for life‑threatening emergencies and to use NHS 111, local pharmacists or GPs for less serious problems because stretched resources will delay routine responses.