Emergency healthcare services warned of ‘high demand’ at hospitals and ‘significantly longer’ waits for ambulances after temperatures plummeted across Berkshire this week. The NHS trusts running Wexham Park Hospital and Royal Berkshire Hospital said they were ‘very busy’ amid the cold snap, while regional 999 emergency services have also been under strain. Cold weather since the turn of the year led to a 20 per cent spike in 999 calls to South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which delivers emergency care in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. SCAS’ assistant director of operations for the Thames Valley Kirsten Willis-Drewett said some patients were waiting ‘significantly longer’ than 2-3 hours for ‘less urgent issues’. A spokesperson said: “Like many other trusts, we are currently experiencing significantly high demand, particularly in our Emergency Department, due to the cold weather and seasonal pressures.

Source: Express January 09, 2026 17:01 UTC