Ambulance target times are being missed, so what can we do about it?
A shocking statistic reported in a new BBC investigation about ambulance target times, is that over half of all 999 calls made are for non life threatening situations. The target is to reach 75% of patients in eight minutes. This is especially shocking as we know all but one of thirteen Ambulance trusts currently miss it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38077409
The chances of survival for someone who has experienced a life threatening condition like a cardiac arrest, decrease by 10% for every minute that passes. So at eight minutes, they already only have a 20% chance of survival. That’s if the ambulance arrives by the target.
Ambulance target times need to improve. So what can we do about it?
Don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. We can all take a few moments to understand what is and what isn’t a life threatening condition. Check out the NHS Choices website for some useful information. It tells you about when to dial 999 and what constitutes a life threatening condition:
All our First Aid courses also cover when it would be necessary to call 999. We explain when another course of action such as being driven to hospital or self care at home would be more appropriate. Just think, having the confidence to make such decisions can make all the difference to Ambulance target times. Ultimately, this means more lives could be saved.