Failure to dispatch emergency responders promptly to serious incidents
First to latest report 29 Jul 2014 — 1 Feb 2024
Reports that mention this concern
8
Times this concern has been raised
8
Stated actions linked to this concern
13
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the dedicated emergency-dispatch process to recognise serious incidents, dispatch appropriate responders promptly, and avoid avoidable delay while responsibility, location or further clinical information is being established.
What is not included
Excludes delays in ambulance attendance, travel, hospital handover or treatment after appropriate emergency responders have been dispatched.
Excludes generic emergency-call handling, triage or communication failures where dispatch timing is not the unsafe condition.
Excludes routine or non-urgent incidents where no need for prompt emergency dispatch is identified.
Excludes general staffing, resource or cross-agency coordination deficiencies unless they directly cause delayed dispatch of emergency responders.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, 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 Care2
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust2
NHS England2
Derbyshire Constabulary1
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust1
Environment Agency1
Greater Manchester Police1
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust1
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust1
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust1
NHS trust5
Executive non-departmental public body2
Ministerial department2
Police force2
Environmental regulator1
Reports and published responses 8 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
Bedfordshire and Luton
Concerns raised1
Failure to dispatch a Critical Care Team immediately in serious incidents
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Integrate the Critical Care desk function into all three control rooms to improve identification, monitoring and reassessment of enhanced-care needs.
Liverpool and the Wirral
Concerns raised1
Delays in ambulance dispatch
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Department of Health and Social Care
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Department of Health and Social Care
Publish a delivery plan to recover urgent and emergency care services and improve waiting times.
Department of Health and Social Care
Maintain additional ambulance capacity funded to expand availability and improve response times.
Department of Health and Social Care
Deliver new ambulances and specialist mental health vehicles.
Manchester West
Concerns raised1
Failure to immediately establish responsibility for calling an ambulance
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Central Lincolnshire
Concerns raised1
Delays in dispatching ambulances to patients
Linked response
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Increase frontline and emergency operations centre staffing, including flexible relief capacity for predicted demand.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Increase the available vehicle fleet to deploy more ambulance resources concurrently.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Introduce Paramedic Pathfinder and train frontline staff to use it for pre-hospital assessment and appropriate referral.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Develop specialist pathfinder tools and referral services for specific conditions through CQUIN-funded project work.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Expand the Clinical Assessment Team to provide continuous clinician-led telephone assessment and hear-and-treat support.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Operate a dynamically deployable single Ambulance Technician vehicle in Skegness and Boston for suitable calls, supported by Clinical Assessment Team referrals or discharge.
Leicester City and South Leicestershire
Concerns raised1
Failure to arrange immediate emergency ambulance transfer for potential stroke symptoms
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
NHS England
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Communicate emergency-response guidance to lead commissioners for dissemination to GPs and Bed Bureau services.
NHS England
Contact GP practices through membership organisations to reiterate that suspected strokes require an urgent 999 response.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
The hospital has a system for identifying GP calls requiring emergency admission, with staff awareness and a flow-chart being added to support that process.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
The referring GP remains responsible for identifying when emergency admission is required.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
NHS England
Bed Bureau services are locally organised and guided by the referring GP’s opinion and requirements regarding emergency admission.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Inner South London
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure immediate ambulance transfer when abnormal blood results require urgent transfer
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Continue collaboration with Kings College Hospital to improve access to medical care and support rapid access from the Maudsley site.
Staffordshire South
Concerns raised1
Failure to dispatch Derbyshire officers immediately in urgent situations occurring on or close to the Staffordshire-Derbyshire border
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
County Durham and Darlington
Concerns raised1
Delays in referring cases and dispatching ambulances after failure to obtain caller location information
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.