North West Ambulance Service 'Not Hitting Targets'

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has admitted it is failing to hit national response targets due to a rise in the number of threat-to-life calls.

A statement released from NWAS says that there has been a 25% increase in the number of 999 calls it has received this year.

The national expectation is that 75% of what are termed Red 1 and Red 2 calls should be responded to within 8 minutes, but in 2014-15, the figure for NWAS was 69%. This figure was the third worst in the country.

A statement from NWAS, said:

"We were disappointed not to have hit the target at the end of the last year and are working hard to improve our performance.

"Because of the rise in life-threatening calls, it's highly likely people with less urgent injuries or illnesses will wait longer for an ambulance, as we must prioritise those who need our help more quickly.

"We would urge people to carefully consider whether their condition warrants an emergency response."

The trust said it believes many individuals are dialling the emergency number for minor ailments which could easily be dealt with by visiting a GP, pharmacist, or minor injuries unit.

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