§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if response times of ambulances to emergency calls are monitored from the time the call is received or from the time the call is answered. [35097]
§ Mr. MilburnUntil recently ambulance services varied in when they started recording response times. However, from 1 April 1998 ambulance response times are monitored from when the following essential details are obtained:
- i) the caller's telephone number
- ii) the exact location of the incident
- iii) the nature of the chief complaint.
This is set out in the "Review of Ambulance Performance Standards—Final Report" (July 1996), copies of which are in the Library.