West Midlands Ambulance Service has some of the worst handover delays in the country.
The service – which has some of the worst handover delays in the country – will be taking part in a NHS trial which will see serious"Category 2" calls re-assessed.
The move, which is also being trialled by London Ambulance Service, is expected to affect around 40 per cent of ‘category 2’ 999 calls, the NHS said. The results of the trial will then be used to establish whether some of the ‘least’ serious ‘category 2’ emergencies – such as some types of burns – can be indefinitely downgraded into ‘category 3’ – which are ‘urgent’ but not immediately life-threatening.
Last month the region’s ambulance service admitted that long handover delays had been at “catastrophic” levels for 12 months and showing no signs of improving, with the delays costing the service £4.29 million a month with every hour costing £150. “Ambulance response times in Shropshire have been dangerously long for more than a year and are expected to get even worse over the winter.
“Rishi Sunak must act quickly to fix social care, free up hospital beds and get the flow back in hospitals so that ambulances can get back on the road instead of queueing outside A&E.” He added:"As a consequence, there is an increase in the numbers of serious incidents being reported and investigated. The lost hours for the year to date has plateaued across August and September, but early indicators for October suggest a worsening position."
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Inside the popular West End restaurant and bar for sale after gutting closureA West End property that was formerly a much-loved wine bar and bistro is on the market, and is described as 'a superb opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced operator'
Read more »
More funding needed to help West Dunbartonshire's most vulnerableThere have been warnings that a budget shortfall will affect jobs and services, while councillors raised concerns about the families most in need.
Read more »
Met Office extends wind weather warning for North WestStrong winds and heavy rain have been forecast
Read more »
The Crown’s Dominic West changed scripts to ensure Charles was good dadDominic West has revealed that he called for The Crown to change their scripts for season five to ensure that King Charles III was portrayed as a good dad.
Read more »
West Belfast man sheds 12 stone after struggling to walkConor Loughlin was over 26 stone before his fitness journey
Read more »
Dominic West Reveals King Charles' Surprising Reaction To His Role In The CrownThe actor will play the Prince of Wales in the controversial fifth series of the Netflix hit.
Read more »