![]() ![]() In December 2022, the response time crossed 10 minutes, the worst performance on record. Since then, most months have seen average response times of over 9 minutes. An average response time of over 9 minutes was first recorded in September 2021, at 9 minutes 2 seconds. Since then, Category 1 response times have deteriorated. Response times fluctuated for the following two years, with the 7-minute target last being met in April 2021, with an average response time of exactly 7 minutes. ![]() The average Category 1 response time improved from 7 minutes 37 seconds in April 2018 to 6 minutes 54 seconds in May 2019. The national standard sets out that all ambulance trusts must respond to Category 1 calls in 7 minutes on average and respond to 90% of Category 1 calls in 15 minutes. NHS England, Ambulance Quality IndicatorsĬategory 1 ambulance calls are those that are classified as life-threatening and needing immediate intervention and/or resuscitation, e.g. The proposed new bundle of standards includes response times for ambulances and reducing avoidable trips to emergency departments by ambulances.Īmbulance response times to life-threatening situations In May 2021, as part of the review of NHS access standards, NHS England consulted on a proposed new set of standards for urgent and emergency care. Here, we explore the performance of ambulance response times against targets for calls across all categories over time. Operational planning guidance has also been revised for 2023/24, reducing the target for ambulance response times for Category 2 calls to 30 minutes. Additionally, better forecasting of call demand and improved clinical assessment of calls was also in the pipeline to ensure faster access to care. Over 800 new ambulances are expected to be made available in 2023/24, the majority of which should become operational before winter. A key area of focus was improving ambulance response times by increasing ambulance capacity. In January 2023, NHS England published a plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services. The 'clock' only stops when the most appropriate response arrives on scene, rather than the first. Ambulances are now expected to reach people with life-threatening illnesses or injuries in an average time of seven minutes. Under the system, all calls are triaged into four categories according to the patient's condition. Since early 2021, however, ambulance response time targets have consistently been missed.Īmbulance services are measured by the time it takes from receiving a 999 call to a vehicle arriving at the patient's location. The redesigned system is a triage system which focuses on a patient's clinical needs and aims to ensure that the highest quality and most appropriate response is provided for each patient first time. The new standards are set out in the addendum to the Handbook to the NHS Constitution. In July 2017, NHS England announced a new set of performance targets for the ambulance service. ![]()
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