First reported 24 Feb 2014•Latest report 23 Mar 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes recurring failures, resource constraints, dispatch problems and other dedicated ambulance-service response failures that result in delayed attendance to patients or emergency calls.
Not included
Excludes delays occurring after ambulance arrival, including hospital handover and crew-release delays.
Excludes delays in other emergency services, such as police, fire and rescue, or specialist clinical on-call attendance.
Excludes generic staffing, capacity or information-sharing deficiencies unless the reports explicitly tie them to delayed ambulance attendance.
Reports
118
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
129
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2014–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
460
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Department of Health and Social Care53
NHS England25
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust22
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB9
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust8
Association of Ambulance Chief Executives7
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust7
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust6
Welsh Government6
Conwy County Borough Council4
Denbighshire County Council4
Flintshire County Council4
Gwynedd Council4
Isle of Anglesey County Council4
NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board4
NHS trust57
Ministerial department53
Executive non-departmental public body25
Local health board15
Integrated care board14
Health-sector membership body7
Police force7
Devolved government6
Health professional body6
Type not available5
Welsh county borough council4
Welsh county council4
Healthcare site3
Other public body3
Coronial office2
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Inner South London
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of timely paramedic response during exceptional ambulance-service demand
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
North Wales (East and Central)
Concerns raised2
Risk of deaths associated with delayed ambulance transfer or unavailability
Failure to make ambulance resources available for lower-priority or later-registered calls
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in paramedic attendance at Category 2 calls
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Action
Allocate £150 million in 2022/23 system funding to support ambulance-service pressures, including response-time improvements and call-handler recruitment.
Stated by WILL QUINCE MPStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Increase the NHS ambulance and support workforce by 40% compared with February 2010.
Stated by WILL QUINCE MPStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Action
Mandate annual training of 3,000 paramedic graduates nationally from 2021 through 2024.
Stated by WILL QUINCE MPStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 April 2022.
Gwent
Concerns raised1
Delays in providing a timely emergency ambulance response
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.13
Action
Double Clinical Contact Centre clinical staffing to reduce unnecessary ambulance dispatches and conveyance.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Work with Health Boards to minimise hospital handover delays through on-site support and prioritisation of patients with greatest clinical need.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Recruit Patient Flow Coordinators and secure winter private ambulance clinician support to facilitate safe, timely hospital transfers.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Support out-of-hours patient discharge and transfer to release hospital beds and improve emergency-department flow.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Continue recruiting and training Advanced Paramedic Practitioners to treat suitable patients in their homes and reduce unnecessary emergency-department conveyance.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Implement and use the enhanced Clinical Safety Plan to manage extreme pressure, communicate delays, and protect responses for immediately life-threatening conditions.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Increase the pan-Wales workforce by 236 full-time-equivalent staff through recruitment and training.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Reroster all staff during the third quarter of 2022–23 to align staffing with patient demand and release internal efficiency.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Refer elderly falls categorisation to the Clinical Priority Software Advisory Group for consideration.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Continue reviewing and updating falls and frailty dispatch guidance to optimise resource use and support correct outcomes.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Maintain the Falls Assistant response model, including the National Falls Assistant Service and additional Trust-funded night vehicles.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Work with community first responders and Fire and Rescue Services to provide designated responses for patients who have fallen.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Action
Review falls Medical Priority Dispatch System codes and assign four suitable codes directly to Falls Assistants without clinical triage.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 3 February 2022.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
System pressures, including hospital handover delays and staffing impacts, limit the Trust’s ability to provide the desired ambulance response level.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Norfolk
Concerns raised1
Delays in ambulances attending other emergencies
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
Action
Continue commissioning Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers across the three acute hospitals to coordinate handover and ambulance turnaround.
Stated by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Action
Implement the ambulance rapid-release protocol across the three acute hospitals for specified clinical circumstances.
Stated by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Action
Deploy additional ambulance resources across the three acute trusts to cohort suitable patients and release community response capacity.
Stated by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Action
Support provider-level ambulance-waiting safety arrangements, including the JPUH pit-stop assessment model and additional temporary staffing.
Stated by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Action
Provide additional ambulance funding to expand capacity and deliver new ambulances.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Action
Deliver six new ambulance hubs to reduce handover delays.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 9 January 2023.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
The rapid-release protocol can only be mobilised in specific clinical circumstances, limiting its use to reduce ambulance handover delays.
Stated by NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care BoardUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely Category 2 ambulance responses during periods of high demand
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Provide significant commissioner investment in the ambulance service to support response standards and frontline capacity.
Stated by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care BoardStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
NWAS, rather than commissioners, determines ambulance deployment, planned resources, shift arrangements and operational service delivery.
Stated by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Delays in ambulance response to acute overdose emergencies
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Action
Refer intentional and unintentional overdose calls to a clinician before dispatching an ambulance.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 22 February 2021.
Action
Discuss the case with the NHS England and NHS Improvement national clinical lead developing an overdose triage and clinical oversight framework.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 22 February 2021.
Action
Meet NHS Pathways to share learning and progress concerns recorded on the Pathways issue log.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 22 February 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Rapid fatality after paracetamol overdose is considered extremely rare, with typical fatal toxicity progressing over days to weeks rather than hours.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
Upgrading all overdoses, including paracetamol overdoses, to Category 2 is not feasible because it could adversely affect responses to confirmed life-threatening cases.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Insufficient ambulance availability for timely transport to an acute setting
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Continue monitoring regional ambulance performance and delays through engagement, performance reports, internal meetings, monthly meetings and national forums.
Stated by Care Quality CommissionStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 4 January 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Documentation, observations, vulnerability assessment, COVID-19 transmission, and ambulance delay were outside the respondent’s remit, control, and responsibility.
Stated by Public Health EnglandOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
Other named organisations, including the care home, regulators, NHS England, and the local partnership, were responsible for commenting on remaining concerns.
Stated by Public Health EnglandRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Gwent
Concerns raised1
Delays in emergency ambulance response
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Bedfordshire and Luton
Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain timely availability of a double staffed ambulance
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correction
Includes recurring failures, resource constraints, dispatch problems and other dedicated ambulance-service response failures that result in delayed attendance to patients or emergency calls.
