Image source, Thinks

Around the NHS, ambulance bosses are looking at new and innovative ways to deliver the vital emergency service.  

Some are pretty radical and wide-ranging, others are small-scale. But all have one ambition -  to ensure those at most risk get a response as quickly as possible.

Read more about what they are trying here. 

Our reporter Martin Barber is out with a crew in the East of England who have just been to see 92-year-old Larry. 

He slipped off his push along walker and banged his head on the radiator.

Larry, who was a rear gun bomber in a Lancaster and carried out 42 missions in his plane, named Olivia, said: "I feel a bloody nuisance at the moment... you've got people who are seriously ill."

Luckily, he had his big winter coat on as he was about to leave the house. Paramedic Sharon said it protected him from getting burns from the radiator - a common case over the winter with older people. 

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

NHS England's director of acute care, Keith Willett, has been explaining the problems faced in trying to get ambulances to the right patients. 

Control room staff in England only have 60 seconds with a caller to identify the best response - otherwise they have to send an ambulance. 

Mr Willett said 40% of ambulances despatched like that did not convey a patient to hospital and 25% were stopped before they arrive. 

He told presenter Sarah Montague about trials to target ambulances better. 

East Midlands Ambulance Service confirms an “independent review“ has begun into their capacity, demands and funding, says our health correspondent Rob Sissons. 

The report, due to be published in February, comes after the service saw a 20% rise in potentially life-threatening calls over the past two years.  

Yesterday a black alert was called at the hospital - the most critical state where A&E has a severe lack of beds. Bosses are still asking people to only go  today in case of emergency. 

Ever wondered what the front of an ambulance looks like? Sharon gives us a tour of her ambulance cab in between calls.

Image source, Thinkstock

Betty Smith, from Malton in Yorkshire, told BBC Radio York she had to wait behind 14 ambulances before she could get into A&E at Scarborough Hospital.  

"The ambulance came from Selby and was there in good time," she said. "But when we got there, the lady ambulance driver said 'oh dear'. 

"She came back and said, the good news is I have got you a wheelchair. The bad news is we have got 14 ambulances piled up outside."

The paramedics eventually got Mrs Smith into the corridor but she had to have an ECG in the toilet. She then waited nine hours for a bed. 

"They are worth every penny they are paid," she said. "But what can they do?"

The East of England Ambulance Service had 771 emergency calls by 10am.

Our reporter Nikki Fox is with John in the East of England. 

He has been working as a paramedic for 24 years, including 13 years with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

"It's about making a difference," he says. "Not just about the worse-case scenarios but those social care cases, the care of the elderly and helping to create care pathways".

Nicky writes:As a GP we frequently have problems with ambulances in our semi-rural area, 25 minutes from an acute hospital. In the last week, I have had difficulty obtaining an ambulance for a patient in severe pain, seen a patient in minor injuries with deep cuts who couldn’t get an ambulance the night before and heard of a nurse who was shocked to be placed on hold when requesting an ambulance.

Lisa tells us:A big issue I find working in an A&E department is the amount of children sent in by 111 that don’t need an ambulance. The parents are always apologetic, saying they never asked for an ambulance. The paramedics always apologise saying it’s another 111 special.  Under two years of age have to be brought in as policy.

Tolom says:The current situation was predicted when ambulance services were rationalised a few years ago.  Everyone pays for the ambulance service through taxation, everyone should receive a more or less equal service. Bring back the local ambulance depots!

Director of operations of the ambulance service in Northern Ireland, Brian McNeill, told BBC Radio Ulster the pressure his staff were under was “not acceptable,” with demand increasing by 23%.

“Our staff are working way beyond what we should require of them without breaks and with late finishes,” he said.

Ambulance crews across the country are tweeting with our hashtag #BBCAmbulances to share their experiences from the road.

Our health correspondent in Nottingham Rob Sissons says Queen's Medical Centre is on  red alert today over bed shortages. On Tuesday, it hit a black alert - the most critical state. 

But Rob said hospital bosses are still urging local people to only come to A&E if there is an emergency. 

It is a stressful job, but one that paramedics are dedicated to.

Jacqueline O'Neill has been part of the team for 12 years and her husband works in the control room in Northern Ireland.

By lunchtime she has already been to a road traffic accident, a fall and a suspected case of septicaemia.

But it is this ever changing nature of the job that she loves. 

Our health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly takes 24 hours to find out what it is really like being on the road.

Click here to read more. 

Specialist paramedic Tom says he really loves his job and no two days are the same.

See his interview with our health correspondent Mark Norman below.

In the South East, the control room has a counting clock to help call handlers give CPR advice over the phone.

Take a look at the video from our health correspondent Mark Norman to explain more. 

People are tweeting their experiences of their local ambulance services. You can join in the conversation on  #BBCAmbulances. 

Mark Norman, BBC South East’s health correspondent has been inside the local control centre to see the reality of what call handlers go through.

Watch his video here.