FIGURES have shown that South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) met all its national response time targets in the two-week period from December 20 to January 2.

All patient emergencies received by SCAS’ clinical co-ordination centres in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and Otterbourne, Hampshire – whether triaged as a category one life-threatening emergency or a category four less urgent emergency – received an ambulance response within the time-scales set out by NHS England.

Mark Ainsworth, director of operations at SCAS NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Christmas and New Year fortnight is an exceptionally busy time for all emergency services and I’m delighted that we were able to continue to deliver excellent clinical care both in person and over the phone, and a responsive and appropriate service to all those patients who called 999 during these two weeks.

“As well as passing on my gratitude to our staff working in our clinical co-ordination centres and on the road, we also received fantastic support right across the south central area from our volunteer community first responders and co-responders from local fire and rescue services, police services and military personnel.”

Will Hancock, chief executive at SCAS NHS Foundation Trust also thanked “all our staff and volunteers for working so hard all year round, and particularly over the Christmas and New year period”.

The SCAS attended 21,631 incidents last year and 23,231 this year over Christmas and New Year, a rise of 7.4 per cent.