Trusts cut use of private ambulances despite performance woes
Two ambulance trusts with some of the worst performance on a key response time target are reducing the use of private ambulance firms.
Paramedics told to listen to podcasts while queuing for A&E handovers
Paramedics have complained of a “disrespectful” instruction to listen to podcasts while queuing to hand over patients to A&E, HSJ has learned.
Key recovery target hit
Ambulance services hit a crucial “interim” target for responding to the bulk of emergency calls last month, and showed marked improvements for the most serious category of incidents.
Ambulance services underprepared for ‘mass casualty incidents’
Ambulance services would still struggle to respond effectively to a mass-casualty event like the Manchester Arena bombing, HSJ has learned, as nearly all have been denied the funding needed to bolster preparedness.
Ambulance response time hits two-year low
Ambulance response times for incidents including elderly people falling rose to the highest level in two years in November.
NHS enters winter with ambulance delays almost double those in 2023
The time spent by ambulances stuck outside A&Es waiting to hand over patients has nearly doubled since last year, the first NHS “winter situation report” has revealed.
Ambulance trust cuts hours on the road to curb deficit
One of the worst performing ambulance services in England is deliberately restricting the number of crews it puts on the road ahead of winter because of its financial problems.
Ambulance response times soar
Ambulance trusts are coming under severe pressure this week with typical waits reaching two hours for category 2 calls in the West Midlands this morning.
Ambulance trusts suffer as calls jump 13% in London
Ambulance trusts are battling an extremely tough October with calls in one region up by 13 per cent year-on-year and others struggling with hospital handovers.
NHSE admits ‘urgent’ ambulance target will be missed in capital
NHS England has agreed ambulance trusts can meet ‘realistic’ response times for ‘urgent’ ambulance calls including some heart attacks and stroke this winter, citing ‘service pressures, resources and demand’.
One in five ambulance trips could be avoided, trust finds
One in five ambulance trips could be avoided if community services were more readily available, according to a trust which has been a national outlier for long ambulance handovers.
Ambulance handover delays still harming tens of thousands each month
Tens of thousands of patients are still suffering harm from delays in ambulance handovers to emergency departments, despite a concerted effort to tackle the problem, figures seen by HSJ indicate.
Former chief constable named chair of trust
A former chief constable has been appointed to chair an ambulance trust which has seen huge response time delays in recent years.
Five trusts join forces on AI and procurement
Five ambulance service trusts are forming a group, which will include joint projects on artificial intelligence, and a potential move to standardisation and joint procurement of vehicles.
Trusts face paybill hike from rebanding claims
Ambulance trusts are facing significantly higher costs as thousands of staff look set to be upgraded to a higher pay band.
Fumes from idling ambulances stuck outside A&Es endangering staff
An ambulance trust is having to protect its staff from the effects of fumes – including potential cancer risk – as they are spending so long in their vehicles outside hospitals.
Chair leaves trust after a year in post
An ambulance trust chair has announced his departure, little more than a year after he took up the post.
Paramedic named as trust’s permanent CEO
A leading paramedic has been confirmed as the permanent chief executive of an ambulance trust.
Outside CEOs bring ‘positive challenge’ to sector, says review author
The senior leader who carried out a cultural review of the ambulance sector has said bringing in chief executives from outside has “shone a different light” on the service, although she stressed it was not a “silver bullet”.
Waiting times focus ‘overshadows misconduct’, finds NHSE review
Ambulance trusts have often prioritised capacity and response times over dealing with cases of misconduct, a review of culture in the sector for NHS England has found.