Recurring concern
Unreliable ambulance dispatch and resource-allocation controls
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Request correctionFirst reported 24 Feb 2014•Latest report 30 Jan 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the ambulance dispatch and resource-allocation process, including adherence to dispatch protocols, selection and allocation of appropriate resources, destination accuracy, post-allocation resource decisions, traceability and control-centre oversight.
Not included
- Excludes ambulance capacity shortages where the dispatch and resource-allocation process itself is not deficient.
- Excludes ambulance call triage, response-time communication, hospital handover and clinical treatment failures unless they directly concern dispatch or resource allocation.
- Excludes generic emergency-call handling or information-system deficiencies where no ambulance dispatch or resource-allocation control failure is identified.
- Excludes failures occurring after an ambulance has been correctly dispatched, unless they concern a dispatch or resource-allocation decision.
- Reports
- 17
- Individual concerns
- 19
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 26
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
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.
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.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in allocating ambulances
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 concernsEach 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
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Action
Implement and update the handover-delay standard operating procedure, including escalation levels, locally agreed triggers and immediate handover arrangements.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Collaborate with hospitals and system partners through operational meetings, regional task groups and senior county-level meetings to reduce handover delays.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Provide Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officer support at acute hospitals when required to improve patient flow.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Use the Operations Delivery Cell to minimise resource unavailability and increase response capacity.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Use mutual aid, including private ambulance providers, to strengthen system support during periods of high demand.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Implement the Somerset Timely Handover Process to initiate rapid handover when transfer has not occurred within 90 minutes of arrival.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Handover delays cannot be resolved by SWAST alone and require action by hospitals and wider system partners.
Stated by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Delays in allocating available ambulance resources to Amber 1 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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Allocation of Amber 1 ambulance resources chronologically without further consideration of clinical need
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 concernsEach 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.5
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Action
Conduct secondary triage of waiting patients, including Amber 1 calls, through the Clinical Support Desk to reassess or confirm priority.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust -
Action
Expand Clinical Support Desk capacity, employ mental health practitioners, and implement clinical decision-support software for detailed patient assessment.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust -
Action
Operate the Physician Triage Assessment and Streaming model across three health boards using upgraded Computer Aided Dispatch tools.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
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Action
Roll out the Physician Triage Assessment and Streaming model to additional health boards.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust -
Action
Use welfare calls and Clinical Support Desk procedures to reassess waiting patients and upgrade calls when clinical conditions or prolonged waits warrant it.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Operational concerns about ambulance service delivery are best addressed by the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust.
Stated by Eluned Morgan
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Concerns raised1
Failure to categorise ambulance calls accurately for appropriate ambulance dispatch
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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of policy guiding diversion of an allocated ambulance en route
This report raised 13 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Inconsistent response coding and categorisation leading to unreliable vehicle dispatch decisions
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 concernsEach 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
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Action
Use Clinical Support Desk flags to identify overdose incidents and enable faster or out-of-order vehicle allocation.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Drug-specific overdose responses cannot be incorporated because drugs vary widely and prioritisation is based on current condition, not potential future deterioration.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of traceable NHS ambulance trust control-centre coordination of vehicle allocation or dispatch
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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Delay in ambulance dispatch
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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to dispatch an ambulance to the correct patient address
Responses linked to these concernsEach 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
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Action
Implement electronic call-passing that limits gateway address entry and records any additional address separately on the incident file.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to assign and maintain ownership of ambulance calls
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 concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026