23 June 2011
Figures released today show that
Londoners suffering from life-threatening illnesses and injuries
are getting a quicker response from their ambulance service than
ever before.
London Ambulance Service has had its best
ever year, reaching an extra 13,200 of the most seriously ill and
injured patients within eight minutes compared to the previous
year. This has been achieved despite a four per cent rise in
demand.
- 2010/11 saw the Service respond to just
over 1,058,000 incidents, compared to almost 1,013,000 the year
before.
- Crews reached 75.1 per cent of patients
assessed as being in an immediately life-threatening condition
(Category A) within eight minutes, meeting the Government’s
national performance target of 75 per cent.
Director of Operations Richard Webber said:
“We have had our most successful year ever despite increased demand
on our Service.
“It was a very challenging year with a very
cold winter and the re-emergence of swine flu, but our staff have
worked extremely hard, not only to get to our patients more
quickly, but to provide them with an excellent standard of
care.”
The number of 999 calls to the control room
totalled over 1,494,000 – making up 18 per cent of all the 999
emergency ambulance calls in England.
Richard urged Londoners to use their
ambulance service responsibly. He added: “Traditionally, we have
sent an ambulance to most patients and taken them to hospital.
While this is the right response for more seriously ill people,
others – with less serious illnesses such as sore throats, skin
complaints, earaches or minor injuries – will receive more support
in the community.
“We believe patients with minor illnesses
will be better cared for by their GPs, pharmacists and walk in
healthcare centres.”
Patients who are not seriously ill or injured
should consider other ways of getting help before dialling 999,
such as looking after themselves at home, calling NHS Direct on
0845 4647, or even making their own way to hospital.
- Ends -
Note to editors:
In 2010/11 we responded to:
- 75.14 per cent of Category A calls (immediately
life-threatening) within eight minutes
- 99 per cent of Category A calls within 19 minutes
- 87 per cent of Category B calls (serious but not immediately
life-threatening) within 19 minutes, compared to 86 per cent in
2009/10.
Category B changes:
- Please note that since 19 April 2011, as part of the changes
introduced by the Government, the time-based target to reach people
in a non life-threatening condition (Category B calls) was
removed
- In London, since 19 April these and other less serious calls
have been put into one of four new categories (A, C1, C2 and C3) so
that they can be responded to in the most appropriate way, with the
time of the response to still be monitored.
During 2010/11 we also:
- Received a total of 1,494,207 emergency calls into our
emergency operations centre, compared to 1,480,274 in 2009/10
- Attended a total of 1,058,132 emergency incidents, compared to
1,012,927 in 2009/10 - of these, 347,675 were classed as Category
A, compared to 328,616 in the previous 12 months
- Responded to 261,243 Category A patients within eight minutes,
compared to 247,967 the previous year
- Conveyed 785,014 patients to a hospital accident and emergency
department, compared to 740,296 the year before, and conveyed
27,578 to an appropriate care centre such as a minor injuries unit
compared to 21,896 the previous year
- Attended 245,540 incidents where we did not convey a patient
for further medical treatment.
- Gave clinical advice over the phone to 50,058 patients with
minor illnesses or injuries. Together with NHS Direct, we gave
clinical advice over the telephone to 96,112 patients.
Full national details can be found on the
Health and Social Care
Information Centre website.
For further information on the London
Ambulance Service or this news release please contact the
Communications Department on 020 7921 5113.