Worst waiting times ever with demand increasing

Ambulance waiting times across Kent are currently the worst on record.

Bosses at Secamb say that when Ian fell ill in July, it was answering more than 3,000 calls a day – an increase of 24% on July 2019. Demand has since grown further, with 105,369 calls received in October – the equivalent of one every 25 seconds and its busiest ever month.

As 999 calls increase, ambulance response times are suffering. In October, the average response time for the most urgent call-outs – category 1 – was nine minutes and eight seconds.

The NHS target is seven minutes.

For category 2 calls – which include someone who has suffered a stroke or heart attack, or is suffering from sepsis or major burns – the average response time was 34 minutes and 56 seconds, almost double the 18-minute target.

For category 3 calls – for urgent incidents which are not life-threatening – the average response time was more than three hours, with one-in-10 people waiting more than eight hours.

Sharon says ambulance response times must be improved, to prevent other families suffering as hers has.

“I feel really really sorry for [other people left waiting for ambulances], I really do,” she said.

“Because I know what I’ve gone through and what I’m still going through, and I find it hard to ever think I’ll get over it.

“Something needs to happen. “They should make it possible for ambulances to be like they used to be years ago.

“They used to be there within minutes of anybody calling with a heart attack, but now waiting times are just getting longer and longer.”