Call 999 immediately for these signs as ambulance wait times 'dangerously long'
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Brits have been urged to “not hesitate” in calling 999 if experiencing certain symptoms as new figures show ambulance wait times remain “dangerously long” in the UK. The latest data from NHS England revealed average ambulance response times for heart attacks and strokes were 42 minutes in November.
This is the joint-worst monthly average for 2024 so far, with times in October the same. And it breaches the amended NHS England average response target of 30 minutes. Prior to the Covid pandemic, the response target for category 2 calls, which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes, was 18 minutes on average. But the target was increased due to growing pressure on the NHS, rising cardiovascular need, and long delays in ambulance services.
Doctor Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation, branded the figures “unacceptable”. She said: “Heart attacks and strokes are life-threatening emergencies. With each minute lost, the risk increases of permanent brain or heart damage and even death.
“We’ve not seen the worst of winter in the data yet – that’s why it is so unacceptable that average ambulance response times are so high. Dangerously long waits for emergency heart attack and stroke care signal there are severe problems in every part of the health system.”.
She added: “If you experience the symptoms of a heart attack, please don’t hesitate in phoning 999. It’s still the best thing to do and it could save your life.”. However, there was some good news in the fact that the heart care waiting list fell slightly in the most recent data. In October there were 420,945 people in England waiting for heart related treatment, down from 421,324 in September.
