Welsh Ambulance Service chiefs have urged the public to “drink sensibly” in the New Year to help ease demand on emergency services, which faced a 340-call backlog on Monday.

Jason Killens, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, made this plea after the service declared a serious incident,

Additionally, more than half of the trust’s ambulance vehicles were waiting to be handed over to patients outside hospitals.

Mr Killens asked the public to use the service “wisely” and only call during a “genuine emergency”, adding that it was prepared for the extra pressure and 999 calls.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Killens said there were delays in urgent and emergency care departments, causing ambulance crews to hand over patients.

He said part of the pressure on the health system was due to viruses like flu and Covid in winter, as well as other factors.

He said, “The pressure on urgent and emergency care in the NHS is well documented. It is a challenge in Wales as it is in the rest of the UK.”

Mr Killens said other factors had also contributed to the pressure on the system.

“This is due to a number of factors, some of which relate to patients who are medically fit for discharge being unable to return to communities due to the pressures of adult social care,” he said.

However, he said the pressure continued overnight, but the number of waiting ambulances was slightly lower.

“As we go through this morning and we see the number of calls coming to us increasing in general throughout the day, we will see a similar pressure situation arise today,” he said.

He apologized to patients waiting “long” but said there were plans in place to manage the backlog of calls.

“We have doctors, nurses and paramedics providing advice over the phone and managing less severe patients differently so that we can respond as quickly as possible to those more ill patients,” he said.

Mr Killens thanked staff and volunteers for their work during this serious incident.

On Monday, the Welsh Ambulance Service described the situation as “very rare”.

talking to radio wales breakfast, Mr Killens said declaring a serious incident “signals to the rest of the NHS that we have a problem, we are under extreme pressure and we need help”.

Dr Rowena Christmas, chair of the Royal College of GPs in Wales, said the situation is worrying and has been going on for several years.

“The level of acute respiratory illness we are seeing at this time is extraordinary,” he said.

Stephen Sheldon, head of the service, said: “In the event of a life-threatening emergency the public can help by simply calling 999.

“If it is not a life-threatening emergency, it is important that you use one of the many options of 999, symptom checkers on our NHS 111 Wales website as well as your GP, pharmacist and minor “Start with the injuries unit.”

critical The incident was also announced in December 2020Due to high demand, particularly in South East Wales.

but one Declared extraordinary event in 2023 After spending more than 28 hours outside the hospital by an ambulance.