Record ambulance delays reveal NHS “horror show”

Ambulance delays for life-threatening calls reached a new record high in December, shocking new NHS figures have revealed.

The average response time for life-threatening Category 1 calls reached almost 11 minutes, easily the highest on record and significantly above the target of 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, for Category 2 calls which can include heart attacks and strokes, average response times reached a staggering 1 hour 33 minutes, more than 50% higher than the previous record high. This is five times higher than the target for Category 2 calls of 18 minutes

Responding to the new NHS statistics, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: 

“Thousands of excess deaths, millions on waiting lists and hours until an ambulance arrives, this is a horror show of the Government's creation. People will be petrified when they or their loved ones fall ill.

“Our NHS isn't just at breaking point - it’s splitting at its very seams. Liberal Democrats are demanding the Government release the money they promised to help discharge patients from hospitals, in the next 7 days."

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Link to the statistics found here.