World Cup drinkers put strain on EMAS

A combination of the World Cup and the heatwave meant the East Midlands Ambulance Service recorded its busiest ever summer month in July.

By The Newsroom

Published 18th Aug 2018, 15:00 BST

Updated 2nd Sep 2018, 22:06 BST

EMAS says excessive drinking during the World Cup contributed to a record number of calls it received.

The service admits that some patients had to wait longer to be seen.

Meanhwile, EMAS has significantly reduced the time it takes for ambulances to hand over patients at Lincolnshire’s hospitals.

According to the BBC, the average time has been halved from 50 to 25 minutes.

Previously, Lincolnshire had some of the longest delays in the country.

EMAS say they are determined to reduce the figure.

The service is recruiting an additional 80 staff across Lincolnshire to ‘provide a more timely response to everyone who calls.’