A new team of specially-trained paramedics is being deployed to treat 999 patients in their own homes, in an effort to ease huge pressures on the region's hospitals.
The ambulance trust is recruiting dozens of specialist medics to be sent out in cars on emergency calls which are not considered life-threatening.
Bosses hope they will free up ambulance crews for more serious incidents and reduce the number of patients who are conveyed to hospital but then forced to wait hours in the back of vehicles before they are admitted to A&E.
It comes as NHS officials warn of massive pressures on the region's health services, with the local watchdog warning patients are facing waits of more than 12 hours to be admitted to wards at Norfolk's three acute hospitals.
Experts say the problems are caused by high levels of demand and difficulties getting people into hospital, because there is not enough available bed space.
The issue is made worse by people who are well enough to leave hospital but cannot be discharged because sufficient care arrangements have not been made for them.
To reduce the numbers of people going to hospital, the East of England Ambulance Service said it is recruiting 40 'advanced practitioners' who will be sent to some 999 calls.
They will work alongside existing paramedics and ambulance staff and be specially-trained to treat non-life threatening conditions such as respiratory and urinary tract infections, acute minor wounds and minor illnesses.
A trust spokesman said: "The aim is to safely and effectively see, treat and discharge patients where possible, thereby relieving pressure on the system through a reduction in transport to hospital, and creating capacity for double-staffed ambulances to be available for life-threatening emergency calls.
"We’re working to reduce the number of patients going to hospital, including directing patients to urgent community response services when appropriate.
"Plans are in place to roll out cars with advanced practitioners to be able to treat more patients at home and avoid conveyance to hospital."
The ambulance trust said handover delays at hospitals remained "a significant challenge".
The news comes after it emerged that 500 patients who were well enough to be discharged were stuck in the Queen Elizabeth, Norfolk and Norwich University and James Paget hospitals for several days in a row in December while waiting for care and support packages to be arranged.
Alex Stewart, chief executive of Healthwatch Norfolk, said: "We are aware that it has been very challenging over the last few weeks across Norfolk and Waveney with hospitals running at close to 100pc bed occupancy.
"The inevitable impact continues for patients with frequent ambulance delays of over 12 hours. That said, all the services are acutely conscious of ensuring patient safety.
"There is no doubt that staff are working hard at all three of Norfolk’s acute hospitals and patients are telling us they believe they will get high-quality care if they need it.
"We are aware the care pipeline from first seeking help to returning home is facing blockages due to the difficulties of discharging some patients safely and we will be monitoring this."
On Thursday, a fifth of beds at one hospital were occupied by people who did not need them.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital said 200 of its 1,000 beds were occupied by people who no longer required hospital care - almost twice the 130 occupied by people with flu or Covid.
A spokesman for the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System, on behalf of the NNUH, QEH and James Paget, said: “The NHS locally continues to experience extremely high levels of demand and we are seeing large numbers of very unwell people attending emergency departments, contacting NHS111, accessing GP services and calling 999.
“As well as an increase in seasonal illnesses such as flu, norovirus and Covid-19, we continue to face ongoing challenges in discharging patients who are well enough to leave hospital.
“Essential services are open for those who need it most and people are being urged to only attend an emergency department if it’s absolutely necessary.
"This includes serious accidents, chest pain, breathing difficulties, signs of a stroke or bleeding that won’t stop.
"Visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for anything that feels urgent, or if you are unsure what to do.”
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