Brits avoid calling 999 because they fear the ambulance will take too long to arrive

NHS fears arsenic a 4th of radical who request an ambulance either walk, get a taxi oregon enactment location and anticipation for the best

Brits are avoiding calling an ambulance due to the fact that they fearfulness it volition instrumentality excessively agelong to arrive, daze caller polling shows.

The Savanta canvass of 2,000 adults showed 23% said they did not telephone an ambulance to spell to A&E successful the past 2 years owed to concerns astir agelong waits.

Of this group, 57% drove themselves to hospital, oregon asked a household subordinate to drive, portion 25% called a taxi and 18% walked. Some 16% utilized nationalist transport, with 17% staying astatine location arsenic they were incapable to travel.

NHS bosses person issued an entreaty saying anyone successful an exigency should inactive telephone 999.

Ed Davey, person of the Lib Dems, which commissioned the polling, said: “The past Conservative Government’s incompetence and neglect has driven the NHS to breaking point. The concern is present truthful atrocious that patients are disquieted that erstwhile they telephone 999 oregon their section GP, they won’t person the attraction they truthful desperately need.

“Winter aft wintertime the NHS has faced the aforesaid crises and the Conservatives ne'er did much than insubstantial implicit the cracks. Even present the Conservative enactment candidates are excessively engaged firing insults astatine each different alternatively of taking work for fixing the harm they did to our wellness service.”

The uncovering that 1 successful 4 Brits person avoided calling an ambulance due to the fact that they thought it would instrumentality excessively agelong to get comes aft NHS England warned of a imaginable “tripledemic” this winter. Health officials accidental mediocre flu vaccine uptake volition permission Britons susceptible to flu, with Covid and respiratory syncytial microorganism (RSV) besides some predicted to deed hard this season. The informing follows thousands being hospitalised successful Australia during their wintertime months, often a precursor to what volition hap successful the UK.

Sir Julian Hartley, main executive, NHS Providers, said: “Anyone successful an exigency who needs assistance accelerated should telephone 999 close away. In England request - a 3rd higher than earlier the pandemic - for the astir superior ambulance calls has gone done the extortion but trusts and unit proceed to enactment level retired to spot patients arsenic rapidly arsenic possible. Latest figures amusement improved ambulance effect times. Recent months person been immoderate of the busiest ever for callouts.

“Despite their champion efforts stretched teams look an uphill conflict arsenic request keeps outstripping disposable resources and staff. Adequate semipermanent concern successful ambulance services is needed alongside sustained efforts to recruit, bid and clasp staff."

The information besides revealed 49% of Brits accidental they are disquieted that they volition look a 12 hr hold successful A&E oregon won’t beryllium capable to entree NHS attraction owed to agelong waiting lists if the wellness work faces different wintertime crisis. Some 45% of respondents were disquieted they won’t beryllium capable to spot their section GP, portion 38% are disquieted an ambulance won’t get for them astatine each if the NHS is deed by different wintertime crisis.

Mr Davy, who is visiting North Devon District Hospital connected Wednesday, said: “The situation successful the NHS indispensable beryllium tackled caput connected without delay. From crumbling hospitals to sky-high waiting lists, the caller Government indispensable marque fixing the wellness work their apical priority. Patients volition wage the terms if they fail.”

Ex-PM Boris Johnson announced 40 “new hospitals” would beryllium built but it aboriginal turned retired that galore were existing projects planned and galore much were not really caller hospitals, but refurbishment of a infirmary building. Also the Conservative authorities did not perpetrate immoderate backing for astir of them. The incoming Labour authorities has said the outgo of the programme had “risen by billions” and it is considering delaying 25 of the infirmary projects.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We inherited a breached NHS and it is appalling that immoderate patients fearfulness they cannot trust connected our ambulance services. It is our ngo to get the wellness work backmost connected its feet, including by supporting the NHS to amended ambulance effect times. Through our 10-year-plan for wellness we volition physique an NHS acceptable for the aboriginal that is determination for radical erstwhile and wherever they request it."

Figures published by NHS England past period showed the mean effect times for ambulances dealing with the astir urgent incidents - defined arsenic calls from radical with life-threatening illnesses oregon injuries - was 8 minutes and 3 seconds successful August. This is down somewhat from 8 minutes and 15 seconds successful July, and is the shortest clip since June 2021 but is supra the people modular effect clip of 7 minutes.

The Conservative Party was approached for comment.