Do Not Get Sick This Week

People should avoid calling 999 unless it is an emergency because ambulance services and A&E departments are struggling to cope with the winter illness season, an NHS chief has said.

Peter Bradley, the national director of ambulance services, said the entire health system was "struggling to cope".

Mr Bradley, who is also chief executive of the London Ambulance Service, told the Daily Telegraph that ambulance services in England had just had their busiest week ever.

He put it down to the coldest start to a winter for 30 years causing a sharp increase in falls and breathing problems, combined with outbreaks of flu and the winter vomiting bug norovirus.

Mr Bradley warned that things would get worse, with a rise in drink-related accidents over Christmas and New Year adding to the problem.

He said: "It has been the most difficult 10 days I have seen in the last 10 years. It is absolutely horrendous.

"Hospitals are full and A&E departments are struggling. We have ambulances having to wait longer to offload patients and that is causing difficulties.

"The message is that the public really need to do their best to avoid using A&E and ambulance services unless it is a genuine emergency. Use walk-in centres, NHS Direct and pharmacies because the relentless increase in activity will not ease for the next few weeks."

Calls to the ambulance service normally hit a peak over Christmas and New Year as the party season coincides with a rise in illness and health workers' holidays.

Mr Bradley said some areas had seen a 30% rise in calls over the past 10 days.

am i right in thinking those with symptoms of the norovirus should stay at home and ride it out?