More than 1,000 patients a day in England are suffering “potential harm” due to ambulance handover delays, a shocking investigation by the Guardian has found. In the last year alone, 414,137 patients experienced varying levels of harm because they spent extensive periods waiting in the back of ambulances to be admitted to hospitals. Of those, 44,409 patients – more than 850 a week – suffered “severe potential harm,” with delays leading to permanent or long-term harm, or even death.
Ambulances collectively spent over 1.5 million hours – equivalent to 187 years – stuck outside A&E departments waiting to offload patients in the year leading up to November 2024. This staggering revelation highlights the dire state of the NHS, grappling with a record surge in demand for emergency services, a spike in 999 calls, and a rapidly aging population. Experts have expressed grave concerns about the current situation, emphasizing the urgent need for solutions to address these critical issues.
The Scale of the Crisis
The analysis of NHS data conducted by the Guardian in collaboration with the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) paints a grim picture of the challenges faced by the healthcare system. Anna Parry, the managing director of AACE, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that thousands of patients are potentially being harmed every month due to these delays.
Devastating Impact on Patients
Ambulance handover delays occur when ambulances are unable to transfer patients to hospital staff upon arrival at A&E due to overcrowding and high demand. This results in patients waiting in ambulances for extended periods or being moved into A&E without immediate care. The national guideline of a 15-minute handover target is consistently missed, with delays often lasting hours or even entire shifts, preventing ambulance crews from responding to other emergency calls.
Calls for Urgent Action
Dr. Adrian Boyle, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, described the findings of the investigation as “staggering” and emphasized the critical need to address the lack of capacity in urgent and emergency services. He highlighted the importance of increasing bed capacity, improving social care options, and reducing “exit block” to alleviate the strain on hospitals and provide timely care to patients.
The NHS is facing a crisis in emergency care, as revealed by the Guardian’s investigation, with patients enduring prolonged waits for ambulances and delayed handovers at hospitals. Addressing shortfalls in social care provision and investing in healthcare services are essential steps to alleviate the strain on ambulance services and ensure timely care for those in need. The Department of Health and Social Care has acknowledged the gravity of the situation and pledged to rebuild the NHS to enhance emergency care and reduce patient wait times.
