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Ambulance Delays Cost Thousands of Hours
7 Feb
Summary
- Over 6,000 hours lost in January to ambulance handover delays.
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire hospitals are most affected.
- The issue impacts ambulance response times significantly.
In January, ambulance crews across Herefordshire and Worcestershire experienced substantial delays, losing more than 6,000 hours waiting outside hospitals. These handover delays significantly impacted ambulance response times, even with increased paramedic and vehicle deployment.
The extensive hours lost in these regions were comparable to the entire south west of England. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Wye Valley NHS Trust acknowledged improving handover times as a critical priority. They are collaborating with the ambulance service and local health systems to enhance patient care.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service stated that the region faces the country's worst hospital handover delays. Despite this, the service maintains high performance, ranking fourth nationally for critical category two patients. Efforts are underway to reduce these delays and improve response efficiency.
To alleviate pressure, the trust urged the public to utilize the NHS 111 service for urgent advice and explore alternatives like GPs, pharmacies, or minor injury units for less severe issues. This aims to free up emergency departments for critical cases.
