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“Lives put at risk” say doctors, as 999 operators get an extra two minutes to assess calls (24 July 2015)

Date: 24/07/2015
Duncan Lewis, Clinical Negligence Solicitors, “Lives put at risk” say doctors, as 999 operators get an extra two minutes to assess calls

Senior doctors have warned that a new scheme that will give 999 operators an extra two minutes to assess the urgency of a call may risk lives.

The Daily Mail reports that the new emergency care scheme will be rolled out across England and Wales, after being piloted in London and the southwest of England since February.

The NHS says the number of 999 calls is increasing by 6% each year because of an increase in the population and more calls from the elderly unable to access GP services.

Data from the South West Ambulance Service – which serves 5.3 million NHS patients – show that changes in assessment times for NHS emergency operators has led to a dramatic reduction in the number of ambulance callouts.

The figures show that, in the 23 weeks since the initiative was launched, the ambulance trust received 398,423 calls, according to figures obtained by Sky News.

Of these, a total of 56,049 were dealt with over the phone – nearly twice as many as the same period in 2014.

The figures show that a further 74,310 calls resulted in an ambulance being sent with a reduced priority classification.

In total, the service dispatched 98,633 fewer blue light ambulances – the most critical classification for ambulance callouts – compared with 2014.

NHS officials have also claimed paramedics were freed up to deal with the most critically ill patients as a result of the increased assessment time for 999 operators.

The current arrival target for ambulances reaching the most critical callouts – known as “red” calls – is eight minutes.

However, it is not yet known how many patients have suffered serious harm after they were only offered advice over the phone, when they really required an ambulance.

However, any calls involving patients who are not breathing – or those whose hearts have stopped beating, as well as those injured in serious road traffic accidents – should still get an ambulance within eight minutes.

The announcement that the scheme would be rolled out nationally follows an NHS announcement that there would be improved “out-of-hours” care.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said:

“Starting today, the NHS will begin joining up the often confusing array of A&E, GP out of hours, minor injuries clinics, ambulance services and 111.”


Senior doctors and unions accused Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt of “moving the goalposts” to meet NHS ambulance targets, however.

Unison spokesman lan Lofthouse, said:

“I don’t think at this stage anything is going to solve ambulance delays. It needs a whole system solution.”


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