South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said Ms Randall was a "highly valued" and "respected" member of staff.

BBC: New Forest crash paramedic Gill Randall 'loved her job'

SCAS's three emergency centres handles about 1, 000 emergency calls a day, with about 300 said to be potentially life-threatening.

BBC: South's ambulances set for busy new year

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said it is expecting call-outs to rise in the run-up to new year celebrations.

BBC: South's ambulances set for busy new year

John Nicholls, chief operating officer at SCAS, said that "our vehicle off road rate is too high at the moment".

BBC: 'Third of South ambulances' off road due to defects

In preparation for winter pressures SCAS invested additional money on front line crews to try to keep response times up.

BBC: England

The SCAS board has been considering whether crews should simply "withdraw from the scene" once the 15-minute period has expired.

BBC: England

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is failing to meet a government target to attend 75% of 999 calls within eight minutes.

BBC: South Central Ambulance Service fails to hit target

SCAS, which covers Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, said it was expecting a 4% increase in call-outs for the year compared to 2010.

BBC: South's ambulances set for busy new year

He also said SCAS was looking at ways of working closely with primary care providers like doctors and nurses in the community so it would not always have to take patients to hospital.

BBC: South Central Ambulance Service fails to hit target