Enjoy Sussex’s pubs and restaurants sensibly this weekend, pleads ambulance service

The ambulance service is urging people to be sensible when pubs and restaurants reopen this weekend, to avoid putting extra pressure on its staff.
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Public services from across Sussex have come together to urge people to be stay alert to coronavirus and continue to protect the NHSread more here.

Tim Fellows, South East Coast Ambulance Service Operating Unit Manager, said the service was preparing for a busy weekend and putting additional ambulances out.

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He said it was vital people acted responsibility, as the service was already experiencing high demand.

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“We’ve been very, very busy throughout Covid and we are as busy now as we were last year, but without the nighttime economy,” he said.

“The lifting of the lockdown is a great improvement for everybody, but that comes with a little bit of self-responsibility.

“Go out and enjoy yourself, follow the guidance.

“But don’t drink to excess. We know that as people drink to excess, their behaviour deteriorates as well.

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“Just take care. Obviously enjoy it, enjoy the return to normality, but do things with a bit of moderation.

“We really are still very busy and we don’t want to make that worse by having people who have taken the celebration too far.”

He said the intensity of the work for ambulance staff had increased, particular due to having to use PPE.

“Our staff have worked incredibly hard since February,” he said.

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“It’s been an exhausting time for staff, and really we are now going into the summer peak, so there’s no respite for our staff.

“So please use our service sensibly...Just keep 999 for emergencies.”

As the NHS marks its 72nd anniversary this Sunday, people are expected to come out onto their doorsteps once again to clap for all our carers.

Mr Fellows said seeing the gratitude of the public, as expressed by the weekly claps during the peak of the pandemic, had been ‘absolutely unbelievable’.

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“That is fantastic, that has been a great fillip to our staff,” he said, “To get that real support from the public has been brilliant.”

But he urged people to translate that support into action this weekend, by enjoying themselves in moderation.

“We urge everyone to please be sensible, stay safe and carry on looking after themselves, each other and the NHS,” he said.

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