HC Deb 15 December 2000 vol 359 cc299-301W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many ambulance hours were lost for each of the last two years for each NHS Ambulance Trust as a result of delays in admitting a patient to an accident and emergency department; [141503]

(2) what the average turn-around time was at hospital accident and emergency departments in each quarter for the last two years for each NHS Ambulance Trust. [141504]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 13 December 2000]: The information requested is not collected centrally. Each National Health Service ambulance trust works very closely with their hospital accident and emergency departments to ensure that patients receive treatment as quickly as possible according to clinical priority.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on attendance times by ambulance trusts as a result of changing numbers of people travelling by road in the last three months. [141502]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 13 December 2000]: The information requested is not available centrally. Ambulance services continue to make progress towards our target of responding to 75 per cent. of life threatening calls within eight minutes irrespective of location by 31 March 2001. Achievement of this target across the country could save as many as 1,800 lives a year.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans have been made since October by each ambulance trust to ensure that attendance times are maintained. [142886]

Ms Stuart

National Health Service ambulance trusts have a good track record of managing winter pressures and assessment of NHS ambulance trusts' winter plans demonstrates that they are well prepared for the winter and have effective escalation and contingency plans in place.

We have set national ambulance response time targets for the ambulance service in England. By 31 March 2001, conditions which may be immediately life-threatening should be responded to within eight minutes irrespective of location in 75 per cent. of cases. Four NHS ambulance trusts are already meeting the 75 per cent. target and most NHS ambulance trusts are expected to reach the target early next year. We have invested an extra £21 million in NHS ambulance trusts in England in 2000–01 to help them to continue making progress on their response times. This money has been invested in extra vehicles and extra front line staff. Evidence suggests that in achieving the 75 per cent. target, 1,800 lives each year will be saved in people under 75 years of age suffering acute heart attacks.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to co-ordinate the activities of NHS Direct and the ambulance service. [142199]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 13 December 2000]: As part of an overall programme for developing and modernising the health care system, NHS Direct and National Health Service ambulance trusts are already working together. Co-operation includes co-location of call-taking centres and working together to pilot alternative ways of responding to Category C 999 calls that are neither life-threatening nor serious.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set national standards and protocols for medical and surgical care administered by ambulance service staff. [142206]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 13 December 2000]: Last year the Department asked the Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) to develop pre-hospital national clinical guidelines. JRCALC made the guidelines available to all National Health Service ambulance service trusts in October 2000. A copy of the guidelines is available in the Library.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to educate the general public in the correct use of the 999 ambulance service staff. [142206]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 13 December 2000]: Advice to the general public on the appropriate use of the 999 emergency telephone number is provided locally by National Health Service ambulance trusts, for example, through visits to schools and presentations at other public events.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of additional ambulances and crew required by the London Ambulance Service(a) to achieve the best eight minute response rate currently achieved by an urban trust and (b) for 55 per cent. of calls to be responded to in eight minutes, using the most recent annual figures available. [142546]

Ms Stuart

[holding answer 14 December 2000]: It is not possible to identify the number of additional ambulances and crew required by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to achieve the best eight minute response rate currently achieved by an urban trust.

The LAS have a plan for the achievement of 55 per cent. of calls to be responded to in eight minutes. In the plan, the number of additional crew required is 125 additional staff on the establishment. The number of additional ambulances needed to meet this response rate is 25. However, meeting this target is not just a matter of more ambulances and crew members; location of ambulances in the area is a factor, as are working practices of the LAS.