Emergency Ambulance Services Face Highest 111 Call Volumes

Emergency ambulance services across New Zealand have recorded the highest ever call volumes to the 111 ambulance communications centres over the weekend.At its peak on Sunday, St John and Wellington Free Ambulance recorded 2,322 calls for help nationwide into its ambulance communications centres in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch -- about 100 more calls a day than the previous record.
With high staff absentees due to illness across the ambulance communications centres and call volumes expected to remain high, anyone calling 111 for an ambulance can expect a delay before their call is answered.
With the increase in demand impacting ambulance staff in the 111 communications centres and on the frontline, St John and Wellington Free Ambulance are asking the public to only phone 111 for an ambulance in genuine emergencies.

If people are feeling unwell, or need health advice, they should call their regular health provider -- for example, their GP, Healthline, or use our website and consider alternative methods of transport to medical facilities for non-urgent conditions.

Click here for the full update

---