Emergency calls up on last year

More than 5,000 calls have been made to the St John Emergency Ambulance Service this year to date compared to 4,900 in 2017. Less than 4,000 calls were recorded the year before.

During times of high demand extra staff have been called back to work to help maintain resilience under a voluntary arrangement.

St John Ambulance chief officer Ali Marquis said demand for the service continued to grow.

‘However I am pleased that we have been able to continue to provide the high standards of care that islanders have rightly come to expect from the Emergency Ambulance Service,’ she said.

‘I would like to thank all the staff who have worked hard to maintain the service during these busy periods. I would also like to thank their families who have allowed them to return to work at weekends and in the middle of the night to respond to emergencies.’

Demand this year peaked in March, with 531 calls during the month. October was the second busiest month so far, with 511. Every other month has accounted for more than 400 calls. To date there have been about 1,400 calls for ‘Priority One’ immediately life-threatening cases.

This year started with an increase in demand, partly as a result of winter pressures. Falls have also continued to account for a high number of calls through the year.