Your help is needed to support our emergency care providers

The urgent and emergency care system is experiencing a significant increase in pressure this week driven by the recent change in weather and respiratory presentations.

London Ambulance Service has moved to REAP level 4 to ensure they can maximise safety, and continue to manage almost 6800 x 999 contacts being made each day and reduce the wait for emergency ambulances.

In order to help us manage this demand over the next week please can we request support with the following:

• Not to refer patients to 999 unless it is absolutely clinically necessary or the patient has a life threatening emergency
• Not to refer patients to 111 unless the patient has an immediate urgent need and advise patients to use 111 on line or to contact their local pharmacist
• Consider utilising rapid response teams and other alternative care pathways including pharmacies.  Only send for an ambulance if it is an emergency
• Ensure that non clinicians are not referring patients to 999 or 111 as an alternative to primary or community care unless it is a life threatening emergency.