Ambulance calls have almost doubled to 14 million a year since
2010, GMB analysis shows. In the financial year 2009/10 there
were 7.9 million callouts, according to published NHS data.
[1]
But by 2021/22 the number had rocketed to 14 million – an
increase of 77 per cent. This was ten times faster than the
increase in ambulance workers (up 7 per cent) over the same
period.
Ambulance workers will today stage a demonstration outside GMB’s
annual congress, which begins in Harrogate, Yorkshire. [12 June
2022].
The increase in pressures on ambulance workers are the result of
cuts to other health and care services, GMB
said.
The average response time for serious (Category 2) calls was 51
minutes in April 2022, compared to twenty minutes a year before.
[2]
Meanwhile, more than a thousand ambulance workers have left their
jobs since 2018 to seek a better work life balance, better pay,
or to take early retirement. [3]
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer,
said:
“Ambulance workers have faced more than a decade of cuts while
demand has almost doubled.
“It’s no wonder they are leaving in droves while the service
itself is teetering on the brink of collapse.
“The explosion in demand is due to savage cuts to essential
services since 2010.
"GMB members tell us the pressures they face are the worst they
have ever experienced.
“Our members face unbelievable stress and even abuse while they
do their best to administer care and save lives.
“We need urgent investment across the health and care services,
otherwise we risk an unprecedented crisis.”
ENDS
Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on 07958
156846 or at press.office@gmb.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1] Ambulance call volumes in England (millions)
|
|
Total Ambulance calls
|
Of which, 111 calls transferred
|
|
2009/10
|
7.9
|
-
|
|
2010/11
|
8.1
|
-
|
|
2011/12
|
8.2
|
0.1
|
|
2012/13
|
8.5
|
0.2
|
|
2013/14
|
8.5
|
0.8
|
|
2014/15
|
9
|
1.1
|
|
2015/16
|
9.4
|
1.3
|
|
2016/17
|
9.8
|
1.5
|
|
2017/18
|
8.6
|
1.6
|
|
2018/19
|
11.7
|
1.7
|
|
2019/20
|
12.4
|
1.8
|
|
2020/21
|
11.4
|
1.9
|
|
2021/22
|
14
|
2.5
|
Sources:
National Audit Office, NHS Ambulance Services, 26 January 2017,
Figure 3, page 13;
NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators (old and new AmbSYS
timeseries);
NHS England, NHS 111 Minimum Data Set;
NHS England, Integrated Urgent Care Aggregate Data Collection
(IUCADC including NHS111) from April 2021.
[2] NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators, 12 May
2022 https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
[3] NHS Digital, HCHS staff by reason for leaving, staff group
and region, April 2018 to September 2021, 09 February
2022 https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2022/reason-for-leaving-by-staff-group-and-region-2018-to-2021
