Paramedic UK » ORCON

Ambulance trusts ‘failing to meet response-time targets’

Editor — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:18:12 +0000

Nearly half of England’s ambulance trusts are taking too long to respond to life-threatening emergencies, a report said today.

Five of the nation’s 12 NHS ambulance trusts failed to meet their target of reaching 75 per cent of the most serious incidents within eight minutes in 2008-09, the NHS Information Centre found.

And only a third hit targets to arrive at the scene of 95 per cent of serious but not immediately life-threatening incidents within 19 minutes.

via Mail Online.

Ambulance staff turn to bikes to get to 999 calls quicker – The Daily Record

Editor — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:39:28 +0000

Ambulance staff are aiming to respond quicker to emergencies – by using push bikes.

The bikes will be used by paramedics in Edinburgh and the Lothians to help them get through crowds more easily.

Read full article: The Daily Record.

Ambulance trusts failing to meet response-time targets

Editor — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:48:23 +0000

Nearly half of Englands ambulance trusts are taking too long to respond to life-threatening emergencies, a report said today.

Five of the nations 12 NHS ambulance trusts failed to meet their target of reaching 75 per cent of the most serious incidents within eight minutes in 2008-09, the NHS Information Centre found.

And only a third hit targets to arrive at the scene of 95 per cent of serious but not immediately life-threatening incidents within 19 minutes.

Read full article: Mail Online.

SCAS: we need volunteers to hit waiting times

Editor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:41:52 +0000

Key ambulance waiting times will only be hit if members of the public attend to some patients first, a health chief has said.

A South Central Ambulance Service boss said it could not get to 75 per cent of seriously ill patients within eight minutes without peoples’ help.

It is offering to train residents as “community first responders” who would attend some cases, such as heart attacks.

Read full article: Bucks Free Press.

“Enormous pressure” call on failing ambulance bosses

Editor — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:54:08 +0000

Ambulance chiefs should be put under “enormous pressure” to improve failing waiting times, it has been urged.

South Central Ambulance Service must address “serious concerns” among the public over response times that are not hitting national targets, managers were told.

Latest figures show that 63 per cent of the most serious “category A” calls are met in eight minutes. The target is 75 per cent.

Read full article: Bucks Free Press

Ambulance services move in to Tesco’s to cut response times

Editor — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:52:30 +0000

Great Western Ambulance Service has teamed up with Tesco to cut response times.An ambulance crew is now permanently based at the supermarket in Brockworth to serve 999 callers on the east of Gloucester.

Read full article: This is Gloucestershire

NWAS misses its emergency response time targets

Editor — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:34:29 +0000

Merseyside’s ambulance service is taking too long to respond to emergency calls, according to new figures.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) last night blamed an unprecedented demand during the past year and a change in how data is recorded for missing its targets.

Read full article: Liverpool Daily Post.co.uk

Police cars ‘as ambulances’ fear

Editor — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:30:24 +0000

A chief constable has said he fears an injured person will die in the back of a police car heading for hospital due to poor ambulance response times.

Mick Giannasi of Gwent Police, was commenting after it emerged 92 people had to be taken to hospital by his officers over six months.

Read full article: BBC NEWS

Ambulances involved in 334 crashes in Scotland last year

Editor — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:55:34 +0000

Ambulance vehicles were involved in crashes almost every day of last year, it has been revealed.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said there had been 334 collisions – 67 of them during 999 missions.

Critics blamed pressure put on drivers to meet an eight-minute emergency call target.

According to figures released through the Freedom of Information Act, ambulances were involved in 160 bumps in 2008.

Read full article: The Daily Record.

Ambulance trust is criticised by councillors

Editor — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:29:27 +0000

Ambulance call out times are still not good enough in South Gloucestershire and the local authority is calling for action.

Response times at Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) have improved for the first time since Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire services merged three years ago. However, they still do not meet Government targets and South Gloucestershire Council wants to see a dramatic turnaround as soon as possible.

Read full article: Gazette