OXFORDSHIRE'S ambulance service has issued a warning to the public not to abuse 999 for non-emergencies.

South Central Ambulance Service yesterday pleaded with residents to use alternatives if possible after experiencing 'a massive surge in calls'.

It urged the public to 'please help us' and offered other options such as going to see their GP or to a walk-in centre.

Latest figures reveal calls have risen by almost 20 per cent in recent months and the service is failing to respond to the most life-threatening calls within the target time.

Oxford Mail reporter Georgina Campbell spent a day on shift with specialist paramedic Chrissy Ames to experience the demands staff face.

Mrs Ames said more information was needed so the public were aware of the correct services to contact instead of just calling 999.

She said: "We have to go to every blue light call we get, we have that responsibility of care."

Last night, spokesman David Gallagher, said they had roughly one ambulance operating per 23,000 people each day.

He said: "It is so vital people help us by choosing alternatives for minor injuries and illnesses so that when that cardiac arrest, stroke or serious accident call comes in, we have the vehicles and staff available to respond.

"The challenge has been, and always be, ensuring our resources are where we need them."

The trust said a high volume of calls coming through to 999 should instead be going straight to GP surgeries, NHS 111 or even local pharmacies.

In the last week alone callers rang the hotline because they had eaten nuts and were worried about an allergic reaction, had constipation, needed a medication top up and had chronic toothache.

The whole population of SCAS is 4.6 million people including residents in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Calls to the ambulance service always increase during the winter months, with numbers rising from 82,617 incidents in the summer 2015 to 97,897 in the winter of 2015/16, an 18 per cent increase over the previous six months.

Despite being one of the highest performing services int he country the ambulance service failed to meet the target for responding to 75 per cent of teh most life threatening calls within eight minutes in October, the most recent data available.

Head of operations Richard McDonald said the increased demand paired with recruitment issues had left it struggling to hit targets.

He added: "There is this idea that if you are in an ambulance it is better than if you were driven by someone in a car to hospital. A big part of easing pressures on the service is for people to know what health service they need to access. We give callers advice and try to gauge over the phone what they really need."

In a bid to help provide the right healthcare for patients, the trust is training up paramedics to take on a new role: specialist paramedic.

Mrs Ames is one of three specialist paramedics at the North Oxfordshire base and said the new role had allowed her to make more of a difference to patients.

She added: "This job changes all the time and we have to adapt and change the way we train our recruits.

“Whilst there are always more jobs to go to, we can give and we can assess in more detail to ensure the right healthcare is given to the patient rather than just whisking them off to hospital."

It is hoped that by next year the number of specialist paramedics will increase from 12 to 16 in the ambulance service.

For more information about alternative health services visit: scas.nhs.uk/news/campaigns/right-place-right-time/

Times people should not have called 999

Caller rang 999 to say they had fallen and hurt their knee. Advised to go to a treatment centre.

Member of the public called 999 with abdominal pain and constipation; advised to contact their GP surgery.

Caller phoned 999 after eating some nuts and worrying about an allergic reaction (but did not have any severe symptoms). They were advised to contact their GP surgery.

Call from a patient who had run out of medication and phoned 999 because the GP surgery, he wasn't registered at, had refused to give him any. Advised to call 111 to find out where he could medication.

Another caller rang 999 with minor back pain and was advised to get themselves to a treatment centre.