TAXI FOR ONE
NHS is ‘forcing patients into an Uber-ambulance crisis’ as soaring numbers make their own way to A&E
The NHS says ambulances and A&E departments face record high levels of demand
EMERGENCY patients are being forced into an “ambulance by Uber” crisis as soaring numbers arrive to A&E under their own steam, warn MPs.
NHS figures suggest the number of “very urgent” cases getting a lift or taxi to casualty has risen 39 per cent since 2019.
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Data from about a third of hospitals show the total “Code 2” emergency patients who arrived not in an ambulance rose from 363,000 to 504,000 in 2023.
The true number is likely higher.
More people are making their own way to A&E rather than risking agonising ambulance waits
Daisy Cooper
It comes after the 2022-23 winter saw the worst ambulance delays on record, with stroke and heart attack patients regularly waiting longer than an hour for help.
Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, whose party carried out the research, said: “This government has created an ‘Uber-ambulance’ crisis.
“With ambulance response times soaring, more people in need of urgent care are making their own way to A&E rather than risking agonising waits.
“We urgently need investment in our emergency services and more beds in our hospitals, so that patients in urgent need know that an ambulance will arrive in time.”
The NHS says demand for urgent help is greater than ever with an all-time record of 2.35million visits to A&E departments in March.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “There are 50 per cent more ambulance staff than in 2010 and average waits for Category 2 ‘emergency’ incidents are more than 13 minutes faster in 2023/24 than the previous year, while the average 999 call is answered within five seconds.”
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When to call 999 for adults and children
You should call 999 in life-threatening emergencies.
For adults, this includes:
- Signs of a heart attack (chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness, squeezing)
- Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
- Sudden confusion (doesn't know own name)
- Suicide attempt
- Severe difficulty breathing (unable to speak, choking, gasping)
- Choking
- Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle)
- Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
- Seizure
- Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue)
For children, this includes:
- Seizure
- Choking
- Difficulty breathing (grunting noises, stomach sucking under rib cage)
- Unable to stay awake (can't keep eyes open for more than a few seconds)
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, tongue or lips
- Limp and floppy (head falls to the side, backwards or forwards)
- Heavy bleeding (spraying, pouring, making a puddle)
- Severe injuries (after a serious accident or assault)
- Signs of a stroke (face dropping on one side, unable to hold both arms up, difficulty speaking)
- Sudden and rapid swelling (lips, mouth, throat, tongue)
- Sudden confusion (agitation, odd behaviour, non-stop crying)
Source: NHS