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Ambulance response times improve by one hour Ambulance response times improve by one hour
(about 1 hour later)
Ambulance crews reached emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes one hour quicker in January than they did in December in England, figures show. Ambulance crews reached emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes one hour quicker in January than December in England, figures show.
It took 32 minutes on average, compared to over 90 minutes the month before. They took 32 minutes on average, compared with over 90 the month before.
That is the best performance for 19 months, but still short of the target of 18 minutes. The target is 18 minutes but January's average was the quickest for 19 months.
A&E waits also improved, with just over a quarter of patients waiting longer than four hours, down from more than a third in December. Accident-and-emergency waiting times also improved, with just over a quarter of patients waiting longer than four hours - down from more than a third in December.
The improvement comes as rates of flu and Covid hospital admissions have started falling since the turn of the year. Flu and Covid hospital admission rates have started falling since the new year.
'My dying husband could not get an ambulance''My dying husband could not get an ambulance'
The NHS crisis - decades in the makingThe NHS crisis - decades in the making
Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said despite the improvement the situation was still "intolerable". But Society for Acute Medicine president Dr Tim Cooksley said wait times remained "intolerable".
He pointed to the waits the sickest and most frail were facing when they needed to be found a bed on a ward. And he highlighted the waits the sickest and most frail were facing for a bed on a ward.
Nearly four in 10 patients waited over four hours on trolleys and in corridors. Nearly four out of every 10 patients waited over four hours on trolleys and in corridors.
"The fundamental problem remains a significant shortage of workforce leading to woefully inadequate inpatient bed and social care capacity," he added. "The fundamental problem remains a significant shortage of workforce, leading to woefully inadequate inpatient bed and social-care capacity," Dr Cooksley added.
NHS England's national medical director Prof Sir Stephen Powis said the improvement was pleasing and praised staff for working "flat out" during winter. Strike action
But he warned that the ongoing strike action would "inevitably" impact on the progress being made on waits for planned hospital care such as knee and hip replacements. NHS England national medical director Prof Sir Stephen Powis said the improved waiting times were pleasing.
The figures showed the waiting list rose slightly to 7.2 million by the end of December, with the number of 18-month waiters increasing by 12% to nearly 56,000. He praised staff for working "flat out" during winter but warned continuing strike action would "inevitably" slow the progress on waits for planned hospital care such as knee and hip replacements.
Tens of thousands of planned hospital operations and appointments have had to be cancelled because of strike action. The figures showed the waiting list rose slightly, to 7.2 million, by the end of December, with the number of 18-month waiters increasing by 12%, to nearly 56,000.
Walkouts by ambulance staff and nurses this week led to more than 40,000 bookings having to be rescheduled. Tens of thousands of planned hospital operations and appointments have been cancelled because of strike action.
Since industrial action began back in December more than 100,000 patients have been affected. Walkouts by ambulance staff and nurses this week led to more than 40,000 bookings being rescheduled.
Since industrial action began, in December, more than 100,000 patients have been affected.
Related Topics
NHS
Strike action