Ambulance service declares critical incident

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust declared a critical incident on Saturday 27 June 2026.

The declaration at 2:30pm follows a period of sustained pressure on ambulance services across the country, including within the East Midlands.

EMAS said it had "experienced a significant increase in demand for its services, alongside ongoing pressure within the wider NHS, and the additional challenges created by this week’s extreme heat. These factors have combined to create a situation that has led to this level of escalation."

In a statement the service said it was working closely with NHS. Actions include:

• Working with our hospitals to support the timely handover of patients so ambulance crews can return to responding to 999 calls.
• Working with healthcare providers to direct patients to the most appropriate care for their needs when it’s not a life-threatening emergency.
• Continuing to prioritise our response to the most life-threatening and serious incidents.

"A critical incident has been declared to secure additional support and help reduce the risk of avoidable patient harm."

The public is asked to help by using NHS services wisely and by taking regular medication to manage long-term conditions. If your illness or injury is not immediately life-threatening, please seek alternative care via a pharmacy, urgent treatment centre, or general practitioner (including out of hours services) – visit the NHS website for services near you.