Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure people whose homes have inadequate access space can access emergency ambulance services to their property.

Ambulance crews work within the national clinical scope of practice and operational guidance, supported by locally risk‑assessed procedures. This enables them to attend patients safely in a wide range of environments, including homes and locations that may be difficult to access. This includes the use of appropriate equipment, alternative access arrangements, and, where necessary, coordination with other emergency services.

This is set out in the NHS England Ambulance Service Specification, which defines the requirements for safe, effective, and responsive ambulance services across England. Detailed operating procedures for managing specific access constraints are implemented locally by ambulance trusts in line with the national service specification, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/ambulance-emergency-and-urgent-care-service-specification/