The average ambulance response time for life-threatening incidents across England is 1 minute and 25 seconds slower than the target, according to latest NHS figures.

For most life-threatening incidents such as cardiac and respiratory arrest (Category 1), ambulances took 8 minutes and 25 seconds to reach the location in September, according to the latest NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators.

Although 2 seconds quicker than average for 2024, the target response time for Category 1  is 7 minutes – missing the target by 1 minute and 25 seconds.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS is “going through what is objectively the worst crisis in its history”, with some patients receiving “a death sentence” because of the service’s failings.

Ambulance response times refer to the time it takes from receiving a 999 call to the ambulance arriving at the scene. 

The average response times for Category 2 and 3 incidents has also increased over the past month.

For emergency conditions such as heart attacks and strokes (Category 2), ambulances took on average 9 minutes more than the time taken in August. 

With a time of 36 minutes and 2 seconds, this is twice the target response time.

Response times for urgent calls including late stages of labour (Category 3) were on average, roughly 45 minutes longer than the previous month.

A broader national health crisis

These figures are part of monthly analysis of the NHS. 

Seen collectively, they additionally highlighted other areas of concern including longer waiting lists and increased delays at A&E. 

There have been improvements like a decline in the number of people waiting for treatment for over a year. 

I love #NHS but it needs help. This week I heard that a friend, whose husband with dementia fell, had to wait 14 hours for an ambulance because hospitals in London were so backed up they were refusing to accept more ambulance patients. How many died because there was no room ?

— Zizi 💙🇺🇦 (@ZiziSulkin) October 26, 2024

This analysis builds on the ongoing discussions by the Labour Government as they launched a consultation on the future of the NHS, and the upcoming 10-year plan for its reform.

The aim is to rebuild the NHS, introducing a move to digital systems that will streamline the service to benefit both NHS workers and patients.

Speaking about the consultation, Streeting stressed how the right ideas for improvement will come from staff and patients themselves, not politicians as these are “really important to understanding what the future of the NHS needs to be and what it could be.”

The October Budget – released this week – addressed the Government’s spending plans to rebuild the NHS.