The Welsh Ambulance Service has declared a critical incident as it struggles to cope with a surge in 999 calls during the recent hot weather.
The declaration was made at noon on Friday, 26 June, after one of the busiest sustained periods the service has faced this year.
At the point it was declared, a significant number of 999 calls were still waiting for an ambulance — including patients with serious and life-threatening conditions.
The service is now urging the public to call 999 only in a genuine, life-threatening emergency over the coming days.
Call volumes this week have jumped 31% compared with the same period a fortnight ago, with Thursday more than 50% higher than normal.
In this week alone, the service has taken around 400 extra emergency 999 calls a day.
The pressure comes alongside increased demand across the wider NHS in Wales during the current spell of hot weather.
Judith Bryce, the service’s assistant director of operations, said declaring a critical incident allowed teams to focus resources on the most serious and life-threatening emergencies.
She said people contacting the service with less serious conditions were likely to face longer waits.
“In some cases, patients may be clinically assessed and advised to seek alternative care, rather than an ambulance being dispatched,” she said.
“We are asking the public to support us during this time by only calling 999 in a genuine, life-threatening emergency.”
Anyone who is unwell or has a minor injury is being asked to use the NHS 111 Wales website, which can direct people to the right care.
The service said that although temperatures are expected to fall over the coming days, demand was likely to stay high.
It said it would keep all available measures in place to return to normal service as quickly and safely as possible.
People are also being urged to take simple steps in the heat — staying hydrated, avoiding the hottest part of the day, and checking in on vulnerable neighbours, friends and family.
The service thanked the public for their patience and its staff for their dedication during what it called an exceptionally challenging period.
