London Ambulance Service

HC Deb 06 November 1992 vol 213 cc444-6W

Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what percentage of incidents the London ambulance service failed to meet its call-out time standards in each month of the current year to date; and what were the figures for the equivalent months in each of the past five years.

Mr. Sackville

Monthly details of the response times of ambulance services are not collected centrally. The available information is in the table.

Summary of response times of the London Ambulance Service— 1987–88 to 1991–92
	Total emergency calls	Percentage where response time within performance standard 1	Percentage where response time within performance standard 2
1987–88	470,348	21	85
1988–89	451,150	18	83
1989–90	231,294	14	79
1990–91	456,659	11	74
1991–92	472,310	15	64

Performance standard 1:50 per cent. of ambulances to respond within seven minutes up to 1990–91 and eight minutes in 1991–92.

Performance standard 2:95 per cent. of ambulances to respond within 14 minutes.

(i) The number of calls received in 1989–90 are low due to the ambulance dispute which took place during that year.

(ii) 1991–92 figures are provisional.

The response time of an ambulance is the time taken from an emergency call being received, to the arrival of a fully equipped vehicle at the patient's location.

These figures are likely to underestimate the performance of the LAS because percentages relate to the total number of calls and not all calls result in a response.

Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints have been received(a) by her Department and (b) by the London ambulance service in each month of the current year to date about delays or failures by the London ambulance service in responding to (i) emergency and (ii) other calls; and how many of these have involved incidents in which patients have died between the time at which the call was logged and the time at which the patient was delivered to hospital.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints she has had from the public about the condition of the London ambulance service since the introduction of the computerised system.

Mr. Sackville

There has been widespread concern and a large number of complaints have been made about the emergency services of the London ambulance service.

My right hon. Friend announced to the House, on 28 October, an external inquiry into the operation of the computer-aided dispatch system and the circumstances surrounding its failure on 26 and 27 October. My right hon. Friend has today announced further details of the terms of reference and composition of the inquiry which will also enquire into the further failure of the system on 4 November.

Every allegation that a patient died as a result of the computer failure will be investigated by the acting chief executive of the London ambulance service.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent meetings she has held with the director of the London ambulance service; and what subjects were discussed.

Mr. Sackville

The South West Thames regional health authority is responsible for the London ambulance service. My right hon. Friend met Professor Marian Hicks, chairman of South West Thames regional health authority, members of the South West Thames regional health authority management team and Mr. James Harris, chairman of the London ambulance service on 16 October 1992. There was a full discussion about the reasons for the unsatisfactory performance of the London ambulance service in responding to emergency calls.

My right hon. Friend had a further meeting with the regional general manager of SW Thames RHA and the acting chief executive of the London ambulance service on 3 November.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what internal audit has been done of the purchase and efficiency of the London ambulance service computer.

Mr. Sackville

The purchase of the computer-aided dispatch system by the London ambulance service was subject to the South West Thames regional health authority standing orders and standing financial instructions. The RHA is satisfied that these were complied with.

The development of the system was managed by a project board in line with the PRINCE project management methodology. During the development phase the component parts were tested on dummy data.

The system would ordinarily have been subject to a post implementation review but due to the problems experienced following full implementation, the London ambulance service reverted to a part manual system. Following a further failure on 4 November the London ambulance service had now reverted to a full manual system. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in the House on 28 October, that there will be an external inquiry into the operation of the computer-aided dispatch system. Further details of the terms of reference and composition of the inquiry were announced today.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many different ambulance controls systems have been installed at the headquarters of the London ambulance service over the past 15 years; what was their cost; and what were the reasons for their abandonment.

Mr. Sackville

I am advised that an ambulance control system was originally commissioned at a cost of £1.8 million by South West Thames regional health authority which was responsible for the management of the London ambulance service. When the London ambulance service board was established, in August 1990, the system was found to be inoperable. The new board tendered for a new computer based system in the same year and this has been phased in over the last six months, at a capital cost of about £1.5 million. Following the failure of this system on 26 and 27 October and 4 November a decision was made to revert to manual control. The reasons for the failure are being investigated.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current condition of the London ambulance service computer; and how many times it has broken down since installation.

Mr. Sackville

The computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system failed on 26 and 27 October. On 4 November the system was malfunctioning and management at the London ambulance service decided to revert to a fully manual system. The computerised system will not he brought back into use until the problems have been solved. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced today details of the external inquiry set up by the South West Thames regional health authority into these failures.

Mr. Thomason

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the external inquiry into the London ambulance service which she announced on 28 October.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

I have today agreed the terms of reference and composition of the independent inquiry which the South West Thames regional health authority has set up on the London ambulance service. The inquiry's terms of reference areTo examine the operation of the computer-aided dispatch system, including: the circumstances surrounding its failures on Monday and Tuesday 26 and 27 October and Wednesday 4 November the process of its procurement and to identify the lessons to be learned for the operation and management of the London Ambulance Service against the imperatives of delivering the service at the required standard, demonstrating good working relationships and restoring public confidence.

The inquiry will be led by Mr. Don Page, chief executive of the South Yorkshire ambulance service. Other members of the inquiry will be Mr. Paul Williams, a specialist in computer systems from BDO Binder Hamlyn Chartered Accountants, and Mr. Dennis Boyd, formerly chief conciliation officer of the Arbitration, Conciliation Advisory Service (ACAS).

The inquiry has been asked to report to the South West Thames RHA by February 1993 at the latest and to highlight any action, where necessary, for the chief executive of the London ambulance service. The report will be published. The chairman of the RHA will report to me on its outcomes, and will keep me informed of progress in improving service performance during the inquiry period and beyond.