Ambulance service sets up emergency care unit for Northampton's New Year revelers

It comes after the East Midlands Ambulance service received over 1,000 calls in the first six hours of 2017.

And while the service says many revellers will always "overdo it", a third of all calls did not need further treatment in hospital.

They are now asking Northampton people to start 2018 safe and well and use the stationed Dedicated Emergency Care Centre (DECC) unit in the town centre.

Ben Holdaway, East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) deputy director of operations said: “Every New Year’s Eve and Day we see a huge increase in 999 calls.

“In the first six hours of 2017 we received 1,150 emergency and urgent calls. That’s a call every 18 seconds and twice as many as on an average night.

“Despite the big increase in calls, only 30 per-cent of patients required further treatment in hospital, demonstrating that not all requests for help related to emergency or serious incidents.

“Many New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day calls could have been avoided if people had drunk alcohol in moderation and taken care.

“We don’t have an endless supply of ambulances and our message is clear: we need you to help us to get to those in your community that really need an emergency response this New Year.”

Whilst most people will drink responsibly, unfortunately, there are some who will overdo it. Follow these tips for a safe and hangover-free celebration:

• Enjoy yourself but don’t drink too much alcohol.

• Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of water or fruit juice – this will help to prevent you becoming dehydrated.

• Never drink on an empty stomach.

• Pace yourself by taking small sips.

• Drinking in rounds can mean you end up drinking more than you intended. Opt out and drink at your own pace.

• To avoid your drink being tampered with, never leave it unattended.

• Know your limits.

Be Holdaway said: “Our frontline and control room colleagues and volunteers will be working incredibly hard, sometimes in hostile and challenging environments, to get to people in need. I thank them all for their commitment to provide quality care for the people of the East Midlands."