Ambulance Handover Delays Reach Unprecedented Levels, Say Health Leaders

Health officials have characterized ambulance handover and response times in a specific county as the “worst” on record. Data revealed that in October, fewer than 50% of ambulance handovers at Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals were finalized within 30 minutes, marking a decrease from 65% in the corresponding period of the previous year. These figures were presented at a Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) meeting held on 19 December. Furthermore, ambulance handovers concluded within 60 minutes fell below 75% for the first time. By late November, three-quarters of patients experienced waits exceeding 30 minutes for transfer to A&E departments. Eileen Doyle, the chief operating officer for Northampton ICB, commented on the situation, stating: “The ambulance response times in the county are as bad as they have ever been. “Many of our teams are embedded in what feels like a winter that started about four or five weeks earlier than last year.” Information obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service indicates that Category 2 ambulance response times, which pertain to serious but non-life-threatening incidents, averaged 75 minutes in October. This figure significantly surpassed the national target of 18 minutes. Ms Doyle further noted that the delays were exacerbated by overcrowded and undersized A&E departments. She added: “This is the most challenged I’ve ever seen ambulances. It’s trying to balance everything, particularly the winter effect, and not taking down lots of activity.” Toby Sanders, chief executive of Northampton ICB, described the circumstances as “pretty much amongst the worst I can recall in my NHS career”. He also mentioned that the response from local organizations to these pressures has been “admirable”.