Paramedic Jessie Jeff tells the BBC he feels like his role is to reassure patients. 

Talking to BBC South's health correspondent David Fenton, he says: "Patients like that and we’re there instantly, whereas a GP - it takes time to get an appointment  and GPs at the moment don’t have many appointments.

"I love my job, it can get hard and I do get tired but you find a way to cope. You find a way to carry on to the next job.

"It can weigh you down, it’s not a normal job  sometimes we see things that no human being should have to see."

The East of England Ambulance Service says it received 1,223 emergency calls by 1pm.

Here's the breakdown:

• 115 in Bedfordshire 
• 169 in Cambridgeshire 
• 383 in Essex 
• 229 in Hertfordshire 
• 177 in Norfolk 
• 150 in Suffolk

Richard Henderson, acting chief executive of East Midlands Ambulance Service, has spoken to our correspondent Rob Sissons about the struggling service in the region. 

Sonia was clinically dead for almost an hour and had to be shocked seven times by paramedics.

Follow the 999 call in the video below.

East Midlands Ambulance Service receives an average of about 1,800 calls a day, but less than half of those are potentially life-threatening emergencies.

A clinical assessment team in the control room offers advice to callers instead of sending an ambulance.

Owain Clarke
Gohebydd BBC Cymru

There was a deterioration in the response time performance of the Welsh Ambulance Service to the most serious calls last month. 

Figures published today show 77.1% of emergency responses to potentially life threatening calls arrived within eight minutes, above the target of 65%, but down from 79.5% in September. 

The eight minute target only applies to around 5% of calls in Wales - where a life is judged to be immediately in danger. 

The target is being met in all Health Board areas, except Powys which is very rural.

 But the figures also show the Ambulance Service responded to 2% more calls per day in October compared to the month before - suggesting demand is increasing as winter approaches. 

Stephen Harrhy, the Welsh Ambulance Service Commissioner, says the figures show the Welsh Ambulance Service's performance is holding up well considering the demand.

Emily Ford
BBC South

So far today South Central Ambulance Service have had 816 calls to emergencies across the region.

There have been four Red 1 calls to major incidents involving two cardiac arrests, a breathing problem and a case of sepsis.

There have been 65 Red 2 calls. 

South Western Ambulance Service has posed this question to Twitter. What do you think?

Yorkshire Ambulance Service tells us it took 800 calls before 11am, and have sent out ambulances to 587 incidents.

But even with these large numbers, the service says it is slightly lower than expected for this time of day.

Claire

My son recently was involved in a serious accident whilst in Germany requiring an ambulance and then a doctor on the scene. We received a bill for £700.The ambulance was needed as my son was critical but the realisation afterwards of the cost of the care would make me think twice before calling for an ambulance in different circumstances. Stop wasting NHS time and money.

Mark, Gloucester

At 3.30am on 26 October  my mother suffered a massive heart attack. The ambulance arrived within two minutes of my frantic 999 call (this was more amazing considering that the ambulance crew were on loan from Birmingham and only had their sat nav to go on. The ambulance was with us before the paramedic. Had they not been so fast my mother would not be here today as her heart had stopped and she had stopped breathing literally just as the ambulance arrived. The treatment at A&E was also excellent with highly professional and empathetic staff who talked us through everything they were doing until my mum was transferred to Cheltenham Cardiac unit at 8.30 having had to be revived again. Because of the very fast and professional service, I still have my mum today.

Karina Hennessy

Our baby (aged 14 months) had a seizure nearly two weeks ago. Thankfully, I was near my local pharmacy so I ran in there and they called an ambulance. They were amazing and sent an emergency one which arrived in six minutes - I couldn't fault them at all!

Ebony

I am a registered staff nurse and I completely agree that the public needs to be better educated on what constitutes an emergency.  It baffles me why we don't teach basic first aid and CPR in schools. Learning how to save a life should not be a privilege to the few but knowledge to the many. My partner works for Nottinghamshire fire and rescue and throughout the brigade they are currently trialling first responding for East Midlands Ambulance Service.  A way to take pressure off the ambulance service and meet response times.

Despite pressures facing the East Midlands Ambulance Service, there are still grateful patients. One even gave them a call today to say thank you...

Image source, Thinkstock

Our reporter in Wales, Paul O'Donovan, has given us an update on the service in the country. 

The Welsh Ambulance Service has taken 418 calls about 316 separate incidents, he said.

Across Wales, there are 103 ambulances and 30 rapid response vehicles working at the moment.

And of the 316 incidents, 7.5% have been categorised as the most urgent - where there is an immediate threat to life.

Emily Ford
BBC South

Control room operators in Hampshire have said they have been called out to 20 cardiac arrests so far this morning since about 08:30 GMT.

The South Central Ambulance Service handlers have also had 12 call-outs to reports of breathing problems.

Martin Barber
BBC News

Larry is going to be OK.

The paramedics have been able to patch him up at home and have booked him in for a wound assessment in the next few days. 

And they are arranging for him to be watched over by a neighbour or friend. 

"I'm just sad that I've caused this amount of trouble," says Larry. "At 92, I think I'm doing all right."

He was feeling well enough to share some great pictures with us of his younger days as a rear gunner.

Roger, in Cambridgeshire, says:

I experienced what appeared to be a heart attack in the early hours of Monday morning. My wife called 999 and we had a rapid response paramedic within four minutes, followed up by a full paramedic ambulance five minutes later. On arrival at hospital I was taken straight into resus. The heart fluctuation turned out to be an atrial fibrillation and was treated with IV medication. Please be aware that despite the huge pressure under which the ambulance service works, they are still responding within the time limits and saving lives.

Jo comments:

I called an ambulance in Essex about three months ago and it was for my then 22-month-old son who was running and split his head open. I called at 7.30pm and was asked all the basic info, was told ambulance was on the way. I then recalled at 8.15pm to ask where the ambulance was but they couldn't give me an ETA on how long it would be. I told them to stop the ambulance and I would take my son to the hospital. I know they are overstretched but I think things need to change.

John writes:

I've worked for the ambulance service for 13 years and am shocked at the state it is in. It's been watered down with the influx of new "student paramedics" that have little life skills and zero experience. Constant call-outs over the air for any available resources to respond to jobs as there is  lack of ambulances happens several times a shift. The list of issues just goes on and on.  When I joined the service I intended it to be a lifelong career but now if I could find another job I wouldn't hesitate in handing in my notice and that sentiment is echoed amongst my peers.

Helen Roberts tells us:

In August this year I had an accident in Prestatyn, North Wales and required a first response paramedic, then an ambulance. I was very grateful for the prompt service they provided and the ambulance staff were excellent.  I ended up in Glan Clywd A+E. The response time was excellent.

Our reporter Steven Godden gives us a glimpse inside the control centre of the Scotland Ambulance Service.