MORE ambulances and paramedics will be out and about in South Devon and the rest of the region over the bank holiday weekend amid expectations of a hectic emergency period.

Some 9,500 incidents are anticipated across the south west over the holiday break – an increase of about 500 compared with last year.

Ambulance chiefs today urged people to stop and think before dialling 999 for an emergency ambulance and consider alternative treatment options if appropriate.

Ken Wenman, chief executive at South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust, says: ‘All our staff out on the road and in the clinical hubs are working extremely hard to deliver the right care to our patients.

‘This bank holiday weekend we want to ensure that residents and tourists alike know where to access the most appropriate treatment depending on what is wrong with them.’

He added: ‘There are a wide variety of healthcare services available for a range of conditions and it is really important that people choose well, especially during periods when the demand for the ambulance service is high.’

The ambulance service is expecting a peak in 999 emergency ambulance calls on Friday as many people begin their travel to the region.

Devon is expected to have the highest number of calls with some 2,000 expected throughout tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.