‘Be aware, prepare, and care’ at Easter The region’s ambulance service wants people to ‘be aware, prepare, and care’ at Easter to help ensure they enjoy the long weekend without medical problems.

Many people needing medical attention during bank holidays have long-term conditions but have run out of medical stocks, or who have ignored an underlying illness which worsens and they can’t see a GP.

Good weather also means people are out and about or enjoying the outdoors more than they might normally be, increasing the risk of accidents.

Last year, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received 10,013 calls and took 5,146 people to hospital over the same Bank Holiday period.

It included 116 calls for people with heart problems, 212 calls about road traffic collisions, and nearly 900 calls about people suffering from general sickness.

Marcus Bailey, interim Consultant Paramedic for EEAST, said: “Be on the front-foot; if you’re unwell, get it checked out soon rather than let it fester, prepare yourself if you do need to take medication so that you’re not left short and your condition worsens, and think about how you will get care for yourself or someone else if you need to use an NHS service.

“Our staff want to focus on giving the best care possible to people, and to be there for those in a life-threatening emergency such as a stroke, heart attack, or with breathing difficulties, as well as for people who are unconscious or bleeding heavily.

"Doing some damage limitation ahead of a long weekend, or using alternative NHS services will go really far in helping us.”