South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is to review the equipment carried by ambulances after finding that a number of them had potential issues with gross vehicle weight.

The trust says that as part of its fleet maintenance and testing processes, it has identified that 18 of its 300 ambulances are potentially close to the limit for the GVW when fully kitted up and with a crew and a patient on board.

"Therefore, as a precautionary measure and to ensure the safety of our patients and staff, we are reviewing the standard load list for these vehicles and taking immediate action to reduce the total weight," it said in a statement.

"This will ensure that we can continue to use these vehicles safely until they are replaced, as part of the next phase of our ambulance replacement programme.

"It is important to state that there have been no reported accidents or incidents related to this issue and the actions being taken will have no clinical impact on our patients."