Ambulance service bosses have apologised for issuing a memo which appeared to suggest medics should not take meal breaks due to the high volume of emergency calls. 

Staff at the East of England Ambulance Service were sent the message this week. 

The message, which was leaked online, stated: "Second action which has been agreed, staff are not to complete service journeys on their way back to stations for a meal break due to the increase in demand."

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We would like to clarify a message sent to frontline crews yesterday and to apologise for any confusion caused.

Echo:

The correspondence was leaked online 

“We want to ensure that our crews get their rest breaks.

"However, we need to balance this against patient safety and there may be times when the last part of their break is used so that we can respond to some of our sickest patients.

“Similarly, with meal breaks we would like to clarify that crews are allowed to collect food on their way back to the station for their break.

"The welfare of our staff is of paramount importance.”