Growing numbers of paramedics are going off sick with stress as the demand for 999 services increases.
Freedom of information requests submitted to NHS regional ambulance services show that both the number of paramedics on stress-related leave and the amount of time taken have increased dramatically in the last three years.
Paramedics in England took a total of 41,243 days off in 2014 as a result of stress-related illnesses – up 28% since 2012.