Hato Hone St John ambulance service has experienced its busiest winter on record, with July and August marking the two heaviest months for callouts in its history.

In August, St John had more than 50,000 ambulance incidents – the highest number recorded in a single month.

“Winter always brings additional pressures, but this year we’ve seen unprecedented demand,” said Rosanne Shaw, acting deputy chief executive of ambulance operations.

“We have seen a significant rise in respiratory-related emergencies. In the past year, ambulance crews responded to almost 6000 cases of breathing difficulties, up 33% on the 12-month average.”

While ambulance demand has been soaring, St John has also helped to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments (EDs).

Each day, about 350 patients who might otherwise have gone to EDs were either managed safely at home or were referred to community health services by paramedics on scene or by health professionals on the phone, St John said in a statement this week.

A key part of this effort had been the recent rollout of the Government-funded 24-hour online GP service, launched by Health New Zealand, which allowed patients to book an appointment with a registered health professional for care that was not serious or life-threatening.

“This initiative is already proving its value,” said Dr Damian Tomic, deputy chief executive of clinical services.

“It means patients get timely care that’s right for their needs, freeing up our ambulance crews to focus on the most urgent emergencies. It’s a win for patients, hospitals and the wider health system. We are working on establishing referral pathways to the new service for patients who, following triage, do not require an ambulance.

“Making this initiative work in the long term will involve building strong connections with local providers. We have already begun engaging with them to establish clear and reliable referral pathways, and to explore how their services can best integrate with ours.”

St John urges the public to continue using all health services wisely, by calling 111 for emergencies; Healthline, the 24-hour online GP service, for non-urgent issues; and GPs or pharmacies where possible.