29 per cent of the most seriously ill patients left in danger for longer than eight minutes according to ‘disgraceful’ stats from union
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have seen a huge rise in patients with life threatening conditions left waiting for an ambulance for longer than eight minutes, GMB figures reveal.
According to the latest NHS England stats, analysed by the union, 29 per cent of the most seriously ill patients are not seen within the 8 minute target. [1]
This represents a five per cent rise since 2012 when just 24 per cent of emergency calls took more than eight minutes.
The Government’s target is that 75% of all life-threatened callers are reached within 8 minutes.
GMB, the union for NHS workers, says this is a symptom of chronic NHS underfunding by the Tory government.
Warren Kenny, GMB Regional Secretary, said:
“These disgraceful figures clearly show Tory tactics of underfunding and privatising the NHS are putting lives in danger.
“GMB members put their heart and soul into the life-saving work they do for our health service.
“But the conservatives are cutting their feet out from under them – and the result is dying patients are left with a desperately long wait for emergency care.”
