LIVES are being put at risk by paramedics being kept busy by drink and drugs calls an ambulance boss warned today.

David Williams, responsible for ambulance operations in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, said assaults, falls and overdoses were stretching crews.

One in ten calls are thought to be related to drink and drugs he said – and sent out a stark warning over their impact on ground teams.

Mr Williams, operations officer South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We must respond to all calls, regardless of the circumstances.

“However, when ten percent of the 105,000 calls we receive are likely to involve people affected by drink or drugs it is clear that resources are being diverted away from other potentially life-threatening cases.

He said: “Our professional ambulance crews make no judgement about the condition of the patients they attend, but if they are treating this type of patient, they obviously cannot respond to any other calls.

“If people were more responsible with their drinking, many injuries, indeed lives, could be saved.”

For an interview with Nick Vannozzi, the service's lead operational manager for Buckinghamshire, click the player below (running time two minutes approx)

The service said about 10 per cent of incidents recorded in the 12 months to June 30 this year were drink and drug related There were 315 calls relating to assault, 5,197 involving falls, 1,010 for drugs overdose, 1,614 traumatic injuries and 2,497 unconscious patients.