Ambulance and A&E delays at record levels

Ambulance response times and accident and emergency performance have dropped to their lowest levels on record, new figures show.

NHS England data shows the average response time last month for ambulances in England dealing with the most urgentincidents–definedascalls frompeoplewithlife-threatening illnesses or injuries – was nine minutes and 35 seconds – up from eight minutes and 51 seconds in February and the longest average since current records began in August 2017.

Ambulances in England took an average of one hour, one minute and three seconds lastmonthtorespondtoemergency calls, such as burns, epilepsy and strokes – up from 42 minutes and seven seconds in February and also the longest time on record.

ThelatestA&Efiguresshow a record 22,506 people had to wait more than 12 hours in emergency departments in March from a decision to admittoactuallybeingadmitted.

That is up from 16,404 in February,andisthehighestfor any calendar month in records going back to August 2010.

In addition, 136,297 people waited at least four hours from the decision to admit and just 71.6% were seen within four hours at A&Es last month.

The operational standard is at least 95%.

Hugh Alderwick, director of policy at the Health Foundation, said the figures should be a "wake-up call" for Government.

He added: "Part of the pressures are clearly due to Covid-19, with many staff off sick or self-isolating and the virus continuing to disrupt care.

"Government must be honest about the impact of 'living with Covid' on the NHS and social care."