London Ambulance Service records busiest day in its history as extreme heat pushes 999 demand to record levels

London Ambulance Service answered the highest number of 999 calls in its history on Friday as the capital continued to endure extreme heat.

Call handlers took 8,869 emergency calls during the day. Between 6pm and midnight they answered more than 500 calls an hour.

Record demand

The Service also responded to 688 Category 1 emergencies – another record for a single day. These are the most seriously ill patients, including people in cardiac arrest or who have stopped breathing.

Demand was higher than during May’s heatwave and the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Critical incident

As demand continued to rise, the Service declared a critical incident between 10pm and 1.30am. The incident has now been stood down.

With temperatures expected to remain high and England playing a World Cup match tonight, the Service is urging Londoners to stay safe in the heat and celebrate responsibly.

Thanking our teams

Craig Harman, Chief Operating Officer at London Ambulance Service, said:

“I couldn’t be prouder of our staff and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly through the hottest days of the year and the busiest period in our history to continue to provide Londoners with care and compassion.

“Despite bringing in more than 400 additional ambulance crews and increasing staffing across our 999 and 111 control rooms, demand has remained exceptionally high this week.

“We have now stood down the critical incident but remain very busy. If you’re enjoying the sunshine or cheering on England this evening, please stay hydrated, drink responsibly and look after each other.

“And only call 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.”   

Caring for patients

The critical incident declaration enabled the Service to put additional measures in place to protect patient safety.

More patients were treated over the phone or directed to other NHS services, when appropriate.

The Service also worked with hospitals across London to speed up ambulance handovers and get crews back on the road more quickly.

How you can help

Anyone needing urgent medical advice should use NHS 111 online, contact their GP or visit their local pharmacy. This will help ensure ambulance crews are available for patients with life-threatening emergencies.