South Western Ambulance Service 'still under extreme pressure'

Ambulance chiefs in the South West have urged people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

South Western Ambulance Service tweeted that it "remains under extreme pressure, and it is going to be an exceptionally busy few days".

The service joined a hospital consultant in urging people to make more use of the NHS 111 service.

People arriving by ambulance faced long waits warned Kate Lissett, acute medical consultant at Torbay Hospital.

"At the moment we have a triple whammy, we have high levels of flu, we have high levels of Covid and we also have sickness in our staff because they're unwell as well," she said.

"We are also really struggling with social care so people are struggling to leave our hospital.

"The impact is that people are taking longer to see us, they are taking longer in our emergency departments and if you arrive by ambulance many people are waiting much longer in ambulances than we would like them to."

Cornwall Council tweeted that the Royal Cornwall Hospital's emergency department was "extremely busy" and to only use 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

The ambulance service warning follows a declaration of a critical incident amid increased pressures after the Christmas break.

The service has also published advice on how to avoid becoming in need of medical care over the new year.

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].