“Appalling” ambulance wait times continue to get worse

New NHS data reveals the shocking increase in ambulance wait times for residents in Bedfordshire. Ambulance services are now at breaking point as wait times for ambulances responding to life threatening situations increase by 20% since 2019. Wait times for the next most serious category of calls have increased by 40% over the same time.

The figures, uncovered by the Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests, reveal how patients in Bedfordshire whose lives are in immediate danger are waiting 20% longer than they did three years ago. Patients waited an average of 6 minutes and 47 seconds for Category 1 calls in 2019, and today are waiting over 8 minutes which exceeds the 7-minute target.

Average wait times for Category 2 calls which can include heart attack or stroke victims have almost doubled in the last three years, rising by over 40%. Patients are now waiting for 34 minutes and 56 seconds on average - almost double the 18-minute national target.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent five point plan to support ambulance services this winter. As part of this the party is calling for a long-term strategy to improve social care, free up hospital beds and stop ambulances waiting outside hospitals.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Councillor Wendy Rider said "It is appalling that our residents are having to wait this long for urgent care and treatment. Often every second counts in life-threatening situations. Our overstretched local NHS services are collapsing under the strain of years of neglect under this Conservative government.

"Ministers must bring forward extra support to get ambulance services through winter as well as a long-term strategy to ensure people can get emergency care when they need it. That means addressing workforce shortages, fixing the social care crisis and ending the shortage of hospital beds, all of which are leaving patients in ambulances stuck outside A&E for hours."

You can see the Liberal Democrat five point plan to support ambulance services this winter here: Liberal Democrat 5 Point Plan.