South Western Ambulance Service has 'busiest week on record'

The service says it will need to prioritise critically ill patients to cope with the increased demand

South Western Ambulance Service has experienced its busiest week on record.

Emergency workers responded to 22,041 incidents in the week to Sunday, compared to about 18,500 per week in early April.

The service said the "significant increase in demand" coincided with the easing of lockdown, and it would need to prioritise critically ill patients.

It asked members of the public to only call if someone was seriously injured or their life was at risk.

The latest figures show the service responded to more than 130 separate emergency incidents every hour last week.

The ambulance service covers an area of 10,000 sq miles (25,900 sq km) which includes Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.

A spokesman for the NHS Trust said: "Our service is currently experiencing very high demand, which means we must prioritise critically ill patients.

"We are asking the public only to call 999 in a genuine medical emergency when somebody is seriously injured or ill and their life is at risk, and for other medical concerns we encourage patients to contact NHS 111 for advice and support.

"Please do not call us back to ask for an estimated arrival time, and only call back if the patient's condition worsens or you no longer need our help."