Action needed on ambulance waiting times

7 December 2021

Last week in Parliament, Bath MP Wera Hobhouse called for a debate on ambulance waiting times and how the Government plans to tackle this issue. The call comes as a 91-year-old Bath man waited seven hours for an ambulance after a fall. Similarly, people in North Shropshire are having to wait for four hours for an ambulance. It’s thought that the issue has angered people so much that this could sway people’s vote in the North Shropshire by-election next week.

In response to the situation across the country, the Party’s health spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP, has also proposed a new law to require the Government to publish more localised data on ambulance waiting times to help local communities hold ministers to account.

Bath MP Wera Hobhouse said:

“Across the country, ambulance response times are now at their highest level, people are waiting hours for ambulances, and with A&Es in crisis, patients are stuck in ambulances outside hospitals longer than ever. I raised this in Parliament with the Government and I hope that they can show what they are doing to tackle this issue.

“It’s clear that ambulance services are under impossible strain, not just in Bath, but across the UK. When is the Prime Minister going to deal with this health crisis?!”

Cllr Alison Born, Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care in B&NES Commented:

“Residents across Bath are rightly worried about ambulance services. The recent case of the elderly gentleman left waiting for hours is particularly upsetting and lays bare the damage done by a lack of funding in recent years and by current workforce shortages.

“GPs are under pressure, this puts pressure on Accident and Emergency Services which affects waiting times. People deserve much better. My sympathy is with the ambulance service and our key workers who are being put under this impossible pressure.”