The London Ambulance Service (LAS) is set to pilot the system within weeks, as senior doctors warn of “extremely bad” delays in emergency care in some parts of the country. Although volunteers are regularly used by hospitals and charities to refer patients to outpatient appointments, this is considered to be the first time non-professionals will be used to transport emergencies. The ambulance service is already sending taxis to transport some patients to the hospital. The new program is aimed at patients classified as “category 3” – meaning they should receive an emergency response within two hours – and who need help with mobility problems. LAS officials said NHS England was trying to use it as a basis for a “national voluntary transport” system. Across the country, ambulance response times are the lowest ever recorded, with an average waiting time of more than an hour for heart attack and stroke victims in March, compared to an 18-minute target. In the capital, the average waiting time for such emergencies was almost 51 minutes, according to figures.
“Community first responders”
So far, 22 volunteers have been registered and trained for the program, which currently uses “community first responders” trained by St John’s Ambulance. Emergency first aid correspondents are usually deployed to quickly reach emergency calls and provide on-site assistance before ambulance crews arrive. The agency said at a board meeting last month: “The project is supported by the NHS England and the NHS Improvement which seek to implement a national volunteer transfer model based on the use of our model.” The NHS England has reportedly provided 100 100,000 in funding for the pilots, who will start in May using LAS vehicles based at each of the six ambulance stations across the capital. The new plan comes amid warnings of “disgusting” waiting for ambulances in some parts of the country. Dr Kathryn Henderson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the shocking and “incredibly bad” delays in emergency care meant the growing crisis was dangerous and endangered lives.
Easter GP pressure
Health leaders have also expressed concern about the growing pressure over Easter. Traditionally, GPs close routine services after Maundy Thursday and reopen the following Tuesday. As a result, A&E departments are under additional pressure when more staff are on leave. General practitioners are instructed to make up for lost appointments for the four-day Bank Holiday weekend within a fortnight, in an effort to reduce delays that require urgent care. However, there are concerns that hospitals are already under unprecedented pressure, trying to deal with an influx of patients who struggled to get help during the pandemic, as well as more than 20,000 cases of Covid in hospitals. NHS leaders have previously warned that the pressure on Easter is already “as bad as any winter”, with allegations of an “unfolding crisis”.
