§ Laura MoffattTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department has collated on the change in morbidity en route to hospital when the journey is greater than eight miles. [88932]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is not available centrally. Recent work suggests that mortality may be greatest for total journey distances between three and six miles, and significantly less for shorter or longer total journeys. However a significant body of published research has established a causative link between the length of time from incident to treatment and morbidity/mortality. This is the measure used to set national performance standards for National Health Service ambulance services. Regardless of distance all ambulance services will be required to meet the response time targets set out in Health Circular 1999/091 "Modernisation of Ambulance Services" in 2001, copies of which are available in the Library.