A critical incident declared during a period of extreme heat has now been stood down.
South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) made the declaration on Thursday, June 25, due to a sharp rise in demand for emergency care during the heatwave.
During the three-day peak, the service handled more than 13,600 emergency calls—an increase of 28 per cent compared to the previous week.
John O’Sullivan, strategic commander at SECAmb, said: "I would like to express my sincere thanks to our staff, volunteers and support teams who have shown extraordinary commitment and resilience throughout this challenging period. Their dedication ensured we continued to provide care to those who needed us most."
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The Trust is now reminding the public to use its services wisely, as it continues to face high demand despite the easing of temperatures.
SECAmb is asking people to only call 999 in life-threatening emergencies.
For urgent but non-emergency medical advice, the public is advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP instead.
Less serious cases may face longer waits or be directed to alternative services.
More than 9,200 calls were answered through the 111 service covering Kent, Medway, and Sussex during the three-day period, a rise of more than 10 per cent on the previous week.
