Basildon University Hospital: Ambulance Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the implementation of ambulance handover best practice guidance at Basildon Hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth
Hospital handover delays are a significant driver of challenged ambulance performance. The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) works closely with all its acute hospital partners, including Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital (BTUH), to implement NHS England’s directive of 45-minute maximum handovers. This ensures patients are transferred to hospital care more quickly and frees up ambulance crews for urgent calls.
In the year-to-date, the average arrival to handover time at BTUH is 47 minutes 30 seconds and the most recent performance data for May 2026 shows that on average, handovers were completed in 34 minutes 56 seconds. EEAST has dedicated Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers at accident and emergency departments, including at BTUH. They work closely with accident and emergency staff to ensure timely handovers of patients from ambulance crews and support flow within the accident and emergency department.
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