Additional ambulances, an increased number of call operators, and an expanded response team will be deployed throughout the city this New Year’s Eve.
This commitment comes from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) as they prepare for what is anticipated to be their most hectic night of the year.
A significant portion of the emergencies will arise from incidents related to alcohol consumption.
However, this season also brings a rise in mental health crises, along with the typical winter ailments.
Hospitals are already grappling with the so-called ‘quad-demic’ involving winter illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, RSV, and norovirus. When bed occupancy rates are elevated, as they currently are, the time taken for ambulance handovers increases.
Read more:
What is the ‘quad-demic’ and how can you safeguard yourself?
Inside the LAS call center this morning in Waterloo, located in the borough of Lambeth, calls were coming in rapidly.
Calm and calculated responses resonated throughout the space.
“Is the patient able to breathe?”
“Please follow my instructions closely, and I will guide you through it step by step.”
These are merely two of the snippets of dialogue I overheard as I moved through the area.
Displayed on the screens in front of the call operators were patient information alongside maps reminiscent of traditional A-Z book layouts. Sudbury Town, Acton, Finsbury Park; communities scattered across the metropolis.
It is expected that tomorrow’s focal points will be situated in central London, where thousands will congregate to welcome the New Year.
Additionally, this will coincide with the usual cases of strokes, falls, and heart attacks that crews will respond to just as they do every night throughout the year.
As dawn arises on January 1, it will signify the conclusion of yet another exceptionally busy night – but it certainly will not be the final one that the healthcare service encounters this winter.
