Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2016 to Question 52428, for what reason there is no information given in that Answer on the proportion of patients being referred to hospital emergency departments by South West Ambulance and ambulance services in London and North West England; and if he will make a statement.
Information about the proportion of patients attended to by ambulances which are referred to emergency departments is not collected centrally.
However, NHS England does publish monthly information on the number of transported incidents. The number of transported incidents does not equal the number of patients involved as one incident with two or more patients transported is counted as one incident. From April 2013, only incidents with a patient journey to Type 1 or Type 2 accident and emergency (A&E) are included.
Data on the number of transported incidents can be found at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
The following table sets out data for the three ambulance trusts in question for 2015/16.
Number of Transported Incidents
Financial year | South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust | London Ambulance Service NHS Trust | North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust |
2015-16 Total | 393,305 | 777,735 | 700,640 |
Source: NHS England, Ambulance Systems Indicators Time Series to August 2016, published at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
Notes:
1. ‘Transported incidents’ were previously described as ‘Emergency Journeys’. From April 2013, only incidents with a patient journey to Type 1 or Type 2 A&E are included, and one incident with two or more patients transported is counted as one incident.
2. Type 1 A&E refers to consultant-led 24-hour department with full resuscitation facilities and designated accommodation for the reception of A&E patients.
3. Type 2 A&E refers to consultant-led single specialty services (e.g. ophthalmology, dental) with designated accommodation for the reception of patients.