Ambulance times fail to hit targets

A former intensive care consultant has raised concerns about ambulance response times in rural areas.

Figures reveal East Midlands Ambulance Service is reaching only 15% of the most-serious cases in NG23 postcodes within the target time.

Patients in an immediately life-threatening condition should be seen by EMAS or a first-responder within eight minutes of a 999 call being made.

EMAS, which serves the Newark area, should reach at least three-quarters of those patients on time to reach the national target.

Patients who need a defibrillator are categorised as Red 1 calls and patients who do not immediately need one, but are still in a life-threatening condition, are categorised as Red 2.

Last year, in the NG23 area, which covers areas round Newark including Collingham, Flintham, Kelham and Claypole, 18% of Red 1 patients and 15% of Red 2 patients were seen within the target time of eight minutes.

In the previous year, 2015, in the same area, 42% of Red 1 patients and 33% of Red 2 patients were seen within the target time.

In the NG24 area, which covers Newark, Balderton, Fernwood, Coddington, Farndon and Winthorpe, 76% of Red 1 patients and 60% of Red 2 patients were seen within the target time.

In the previous year, almost 79% of Red 1 patients were seen within the target time and 70% of Red 2 patients were reached.

The figures were collated by Professor David Edbrooke who submitted a Freedom of Information request to EMAS.

Professor Edbrooke, of Collingham, is an honorary professor of intensive care medicine at Sheffield Hallam University and worked as a consultant anaesthetist and critical care consultant at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield. He has been retired for ten years.

Professor Edbrooke said the response times for people living in NG23 postcodes were concerning.

“As every minute goes past, the chances of people dying are increased,” he said.

“If you have had a heart attack you have only got a few minutes to survive that.

“They have to get the response times right and in the time I have been monitoring this they have made no improvement and have, in fact, gone backwards.”

'Years of worsening performance'

Professor Edbrooke questioned the need for some patients to travel to King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

“If you use the example of a little old lady with a urinary infection, why would she need to go that far?” he said.

Professor Edbrooke said less-serious cases should be seen at Newark Hospital.

Mr Francis Towndrow, chairman of the Say Yes To Newark Hospital campaign group, said: “In Newark and Sherwood we have seen three consecutive years of worsening performance and this is very evident now in the postcode NG23, a postcode where the majority live closer to Newark Hospital than any other hospital.”

Mr Greg Cox, general manager at EMAS, said the majority of patients calling 999 were getting a fast, quality response.

“Meeting the eight-minute performance target is a challenge in rural areas like Newark where the roads and peaks in heavy traffic can contribute to delays,” he said.

“To ensure a safe, quality service we need to be resourced appropriately.

“Together with the clinical commissioning groups that fund our service, we recognise there still remains a financial and resourcing challenge that impacts on our ability to achieve the eight minute standards.

“Despite this we continue to improve services, to proactively recruit to our frontline and invest in new ambulances to expand our fleet.”

Mr Cox said on average patients in Newark who were in a life-threatening condition received a response within 12½ minutes.

Dr Amanda Sullivan, chief officer for NHS Newark and Sherwood Clinical Commissioning Group, which commissions healthcare services, said they were working with EMAS to make the best use of available financial resources.

She said the CCG was using a new emergency care response service, Call For Care, which reduced the number of ambulances leaving Newark and was improving performance overall.

Dr Sullivan said: “Where the problem is not an emergency, ambulance call-handlers can refer to a community-based nursing team to co-ordinate an urgent care response so people can avoid admission to hospital.

“This system is having a remarkable effect in reducing unnecessary transportation to hospital.

“Ambulances are for emergencies only so we are also keen to reiterate the value of other forms of health care advice such as GPs, pharmacies and NHS 111.”