First reported 9 Jan 2014•Latest report 2 Feb 2026
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes recurring deficiencies in ambulance-service capacity, including insufficient funded ambulances, crews, emergency-response vehicles, staffing or resource resilience where these limit the service's ability to cover emergency calls and meet operational demand.
Not included
Excludes delayed ambulance attendance, dispatch, call triage, radio communication and hospital handover failures when ambulance capacity itself is not the deficient condition.
Excludes generic recruitment, retention or funding concerns unless they directly result in insufficient ambulance-service capacity for emergency calls.
Excludes a single unresourced call or isolated response delay where no continuing ambulance-capacity deficiency is asserted.
Reports
58
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
62
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2014–2026
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
208
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 Care32
NHS England11
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust8
Association of Ambulance Chief Executives4
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust4
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust4
NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board3
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust3
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust3
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board2
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board2
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust2
Welsh Government2
Aneurin Bevan University LHB1
Ministerial department32
NHS trust27
Executive non-departmental public body11
Integrated care board11
Local health board5
Health-sector membership body4
Devolved government2
Health professional body2
Type not available2
Airport operator1
Air transport operator1
Clinical commissioning group1
Community interest company1
Coronial office1
English unitary authority1
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.
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.
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.
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
Meal break policy causing crews to become unavailable for call allocation
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.
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
Action
Pilot mandatory staggered meal-break stand-downs by transferring meal-break management from dispatchers.
Stated by North West Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 12 September 2019.
Action
Review the meal-break policy to ensure it does not compromise workforce profiling and ambulance availability.
Stated by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care BoardStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 12 September 2019.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Individual ambulance trusts, not national authorities, are responsible for operational meal-break and shift-rostering arrangements, subject to employment law.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Isle of Wight
Concerns raised1
Insufficient ambulance capacity for emergency incidents during major events
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.
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
Discuss additional ambulance support internally and report back on the proposal.
Stated by Cowes Week LimitedStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 9 June 2019.
Northamptonshire
Concerns raised1
Shortage of double crewed ambulances and fast response vehicles
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 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
Agree contract terms providing additional funding for clinical staff, ambulances and other response resources.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 11 April 2019.
Action
Expand Northamptonshire frontline staffing, including recruitment, training and operational deployment of additional staff.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 11 April 2019.
Action
Recruit private providers with qualified staff to support the additional ambulance response resources.
Stated by East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 11 April 2019.
Gwent
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of nearby rapid response vehicles for calls outside red and amber 1 categories
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.2
Action
Commence an all-Wales demand and capacity review to determine required operational capacity and future service demand.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 21 December 2018.
Action
Adopt a more dynamic approach to managing rapid response vehicles within each health board area.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 21 December 2018.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Rapid response vehicles are reserved for immediately life-threatening calls, so lower-priority calls may wait longer.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
South Wales Central
Concerns raised1
Lack of ambulance resources for timely attendance to critically unwell and deteriorating patients
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.9
Action
Ensure planned resources are sufficient to meet overall demand.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Align resource production with demand by location and time of day.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Reduce sickness absence.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Reduce handover-to-clear duration.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Introduce safe alternatives to responding at scene where appropriate.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Reduce conveyance where safe and appropriate by providing care at home through advanced practitioners.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Increase the scope of practice for Community First Responders.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Complete a robust review of the Explorer Project.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
Action
Strengthen out-of-hospital alternative pathways to improve care efficiency and resource use.
Stated by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 March 2019.
South Wales Central
Concerns raised1
Failure of demand analysis to accurately estimate required ambulance capacity
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
Develop and model the Optima Predict demand-and-capacity planning project.
Stated by Cardiff & Vale University LHB and Welsh Ambulance Services NHS TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 24 September 2018.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
WAST is responsible for planning and delivering a safe, timely ambulance service with sufficient staffing and resource capacity.
Stated by Welsh GovernmentRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Concerns raised1
Failure to resource emergency ambulance transport to minimum performance standards
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.
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.4
Action
Co-produce and implement a Joint Plan with commissioners and SWASFT to address ambulance performance gaps through service transformation, funding and demand reduction.
Stated by the 10 CCGsStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 23 September 2018.
Action
Develop commissioner-owned STP actions with system partners to improve performance against Ambulance Response Programme standards.
Stated by the 10 CCGsStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 23 September 2018.
Action
Develop and agree a three-year financial framework providing commissioner investment to support achievement of Ambulance Response Programme standards.
Stated by the 10 CCGsStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 23 September 2018.
Action
Jointly commission a review of the performance analysis in quarter 2 of 2018/19 and use its revised output to reassess the business-case proposal.
Stated by the 10 CCGsStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 23 September 2018.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Emergency ambulance transport concerns will be addressed by Dorset CCG in a separate response.
Stated by NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care BoardRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Delays in ambulance and paramedic attendance for level 2 priority calls
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 deficiencies in ambulance-service capacity, including insufficient funded ambulances, crews, emergency-response vehicles, staffing or resource resilience where these limit the service's ability to cover emergency calls and meet operational demand.
