Ambulance service in England ‘in meltdown’ as one in four 999 calls missed in October

Ambulance service in England ‘in meltdown’ as one in four 999 calls missed in October NHS heads warn patients dying every day as A&E logjams cause 169,000 hours of crew delays in worst-ever month

Ambulance crews could not respond to almost one in four 999 calls last month – the most ever – because so many were tied up outside A&Es waiting to hand patients over, dramatic new NHS figures show.

An estimated 5,000 patients in England – also the highest number on record – potentially suffered “severe harm” through waiting so long either to be admitted to A&E or just to get an ambulance to turn up to help them. The Guardian

See also:

• Government may 'ditch' NHS targets on cancer treatment, A&E waiting times and ambulance response The Daily Mail
• Public urged: use NHS 111 Online to ease record pressure on A&E as winter looms Evening Standard