Highest alert level for ambulance services in England

All ambulance services in England are on the “highest alert level” due to an exceptionally high demand, driven by staff shortages due to Covid, hot weather, and delays in transferring patients to A&E departments. To prevent overwhelming the NHS, people are urged to use 999 only for emergencies and consult their GP, pharmacist, or call 111 for non-urgent cases. Some ambulance services have declared “critical incidents” due to the pressure.