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 raised2
Failure to adhere to ambulance dispatch and resource-review protocols
Lack of knowledge, training and understanding of ambulance dispatch and resource-review protocols
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.5
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Action
Reduce the amber-call resourcing target from 10 minutes to 5 minutes and communicate the revised target to EOC staff.
Stated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Deliver EOC training away days covering role responsibilities, incident review, revision, allocation and timely prioritisation of high-priority calls.
Stated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Use monthly one-to-one performance information to monitor dispatchers’ resourcing performance against targets.
Stated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Action
Introduce a Dispatcher Standard Operating Procedure supporting consistent standards and live-environment incident auditing.
Stated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Reduce the allocation target for amber, soon-to-be-red, calls from two minutes to 30 seconds and disseminate the process through staff training and dispatch guidance.
Stated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of effective protocols for mobilisation of appropriate appliances
This report raised 6 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 issue open-mic reports to mobilise available ambulance crews
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
Delays in dispatching ambulances to patients
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
Increase frontline and emergency operations centre staffing, including flexible relief capacity for predicted demand.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Increase the available vehicle fleet to deploy more ambulance resources concurrently.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Introduce Paramedic Pathfinder and train frontline staff to use it for pre-hospital assessment and appropriate referral.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Action
Develop specialist pathfinder tools and referral services for specific conditions through CQUIN-funded project work.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Expand the Clinical Assessment Team to provide continuous clinician-led telephone assessment and hear-and-treat support.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust -
Action
Operate a dynamically deployable single Ambulance Technician vehicle in Skegness and Boston for suitable calls, supported by Clinical Assessment Team referrals or discharge.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure by ambulance dispatchers to dispatch the closest available ambulance
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.
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.2
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Action
Conduct a comprehensive NEAS inspection covering call-handler support, ambulance dispatch, arrival-time breaches, and patient handover procedures.
Stated by Care Quality Commission -
Action
Meet with NEAS in September 2015 to discuss management of ambulance dispatch processes.
Stated by Care Quality Commission
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Concerns raised2
Delays in referring cases and dispatching ambulances after failure to obtain caller location information
Failure of ambulance service protocols to address caller-location and dispatch problems
This report raised 8 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 automatically link fall height, age and anti-clotting medication use to an eight-minute ambulance response
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