The service received a historic 53,342 emergency calls during last week’s unprecedented heatwave
London Ambulance Service (LAS) endured its busiest-ever week during the June heatwave with an unpreceded number of 999 calls and patients treated – even surpassing the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic six years ago.
LAS received a historic 53,342 emergency calls between last Monday (22nd) and Sunday (28th).
This represents around 140 more 999 calls a day than in the week leading up to the first Covid-19 lockdown on 23rd March 2020, where the service received 52,367 calls.
Crews also attended the highest numbers of patients during the June heatwave – 24,607 compared with 21,757 in the week before the Covid-19 lockdown – an increase of 13%.
Jason Killens, LAS chief executive , said: “This was a record-breaking week for our weather and a recording-breaking week for London Ambulance Service too. On Friday and Saturday, we recorded the busiest and second busiest day in our history.
“The extreme heat also saw us treat the highest number of patients in a week and attend the highest number of life-threatening emergencies.
“I’d like to thank all of our staff for their efforts in keeping Londoners safe during the unprecedented level of demand, which was the highest in our history.
“Everyone has been incredible at rising to the challenge when Londoners needed us most.
“Thank you for helping us play our part in keeping our patients and our city safe.”
LAS put out nearly 600 additional shifts help keep patients safe during the historic levels of demand.
The service also worked with hospitals across London to speed up ambulance handovers and get crews back on the road more quickly.
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