§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many rural ambulance trusts are now meeting government targets on response times; what percentage of rural trusts that number represents; and what are the comparative numbers and percentages for urban trusts. [HL4000]
§ Lord WarnerThe latest available information, for the year 2003–04 is given in the table:
148WA
Target meeting target Rural services meeting target Urban services number % of all 23 rural services number % of all 8 urban services category A 8 minute 17 74% 5 63% category A 14/19 minute 18 78% 3 38% category B/C 14/19 minute 11 48% 0 0% urgent 15 minute 3 13% 2 25% Current ambulance performance requirement:
- 1. All ambulance trusts to respond to 75 per cent of category A calls within 8 minutes.
- 2. All ambulance trusts to respond to 95 per cent of category A calls within 14 (urban)/19 (rural) minutes.
- 3. All ambulance trusts to respond to 95 per cent of category B calls within 14 (urban)/19 (rural) minutes.
- 4. Urgent cases: In addition to emergency 999 calls, ambulance services are required to take patients to hospital where the need is identified by a doctor as urgent and these patients should arrive at hospital within 15 minutes of the arrival time specified by the doctor in 95 per cent of cases.
The available data are published in the statistical bulletin Ambulance services, England: 2003–04 and is available at www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0313.htm. A copy will be made available in the Library.