Ahead of the Euro 2024 final tonight, the South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said it wants people to enjoy the game sensibly and be aware of the impact their actions can have on its services.
A Secamb spokesperson said: “People with a genuine emergency are urged not to ignore any symptoms such as chest pain during a game, only to call 999 at the end of the match.”
Health services across Sussex are experiencing high demand, with a rise in emergency department visits and hospital admissions.
Sussex Health & Care urged people to “support the team and make the right choice” when choosing what health service they need to use.
It said: “We want to ensure emergency services remain available for those who need them most.”
NHS Sussex said it wanted everyone to have a “fantastic time” while enjoying the game, adding: “But we need people’s continued support to help make sure the right people can get the right care.
“A&E is for life-threatening emergencies, such as strokes or heart attacks. Let’s save emergency services for saving lives.”
People who have an urgent medical support need that is not life-threatening should call 111 instead of 999 or visit www.111.nhs.uk.
The service is available 24 hours.
