- More than 500,000 urgent patients arrived alone at the ER last year
The number of patients who go to the emergency room on their own and need “very urgent” care has skyrocketed.
At least 504,276 of these patients arrived at emergency rooms last year on foot or by public or private transportation amid the “shocking” crisis in ambulance response times.
The figure was 11,500 (2.4 percent) more than in 2022 and 141,000 (38.9 percent) more than in 2019, according to data released under freedom of information laws. The increase was particularly pronounced among people 65 and older, up 45.4 percent from 2019 to 96,000 last year.
Ambulance services have repeatedly failed to meet response targets, and heart attack and stroke patients are among those waiting too long for paramedics to arrive.
In York and Scarborough, 7,669 ‘code 2’ patients, needing ‘very urgent emergency care’, arrived at A&E not by ambulance last year, up from 808 in 2019. Hull reported a 514 per cent increase from 196 to 1,203. while the numbers in Hillingdon, west London, almost doubled to 16,699.
The number of patients who go to the emergency room on their own and need “very urgent” care has skyrocketed
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats’ health and social care spokesperson, accused the Conservatives of creating a “super ambulance crisis”.
Only 53 of 140 NHS trusts responded with complete data to the Lib Dems’ request, meaning the real number affected is likely to be much higher.
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats’ health and social care spokesperson, accused the Conservatives of creating a “super ambulance crisis”. He said that “more and more people who need urgent care are going to the emergency room on their own rather than risking agonizing waits,” adding: “Behind every one of these statistics is someone who is in pain and anxious about not receiving care.” care he needs.” on time.
“We urgently need investment in our emergency services and more beds in our hospitals, so patients in urgent need know that an ambulance will arrive on time.”
Paramedics must arrive at the scene of “category two” calls, including possible heart attack and stroke victims, within 18 minutes.
But the average in March was 33 minutes and 50 seconds, and one in ten had to wait more than an hour. For ‘category one’ calls, where a patient’s heart has stopped or they are not breathing, the target is seven minutes, but the average was eight minutes and 20 seconds, with one in ten waiting almost 15 minutes .
Rory Deighton, head of the NHS Confederation’s acute network, described the figures as “concerning” and said long response times must not become “the new normal”.
At least 504,276 of these patients arrived at emergency rooms last year on foot or by private or public transportation amid the “shocking” crisis in ambulance response times.
Saffron Cordery of NHS Providers, which represents the trusts, said demand for ambulance services is “through the roof” but trusts and staff “continue to work flat out”.
The Department of Health said there are “50 per cent more ambulance staff than in 2010” and average waits for category two cases are “more than 13 minutes faster in 2023/24 than the previous year”.
But Dr Adrian Boyle, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the statistics were “shocking”.
He added: “It is deeply worrying that people have lost faith in the system and are choosing to drive… to the hospital out of desperation.”
