The South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) has sounded the alarm, declaring a critical incident as it struggles to keep up with an unprecedented surge in emergency calls. What was already one of its busiest days this year turned into a perfect storm of pressure on Friday, with hot weather conditions adding fuel to the fire and leaving patients facing lengthy delays for non-life-threatening conditions.
Secamb, which serves Kent, Sussex, and Surrey, revealed that at the time of the declaration, hundreds of calls were waiting for an ambulance response – including several high-priority incidents that required urgent attention. The service's strategic commander, James Pavey, confirmed that all resources are now focused on life-threatening emergencies.
During a critical incident, patients with less serious conditions should expect to wait significantly longer for an ambulance. Secamb urges individuals only to call 999 in genuine emergency situations and advises those needing non-urgent medical help to contact NHS 111 instead – either by phone or online.
The service has also reinforced public health advice on staying cool during the heatwave, reminding residents to drink plenty of water and avoid exposing themselves to direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm. By taking these precautions, people can reduce their risk of dehydration and help ease the pressure on emergency services.
When an NHS organisation declares a critical incident, it signals that they are facing extreme operational strain and may struggle to provide vital services as usual. It allows them to re-prioritise resources, often by scaling back non-urgent activities, to focus on the most critical cases. The current situation highlights the broader challenges facing the NHS, with ambulance services frequently bearing the brunt of increased demand and hospital handover delays.