Ambulance Services: Standards

The Government recognises that in past years, ambulance response times have not met the high standards patients should expect. We are addressing this challenge through the Medium Term Planning Framework (MTPF), closely aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan. This framework sets a clear and ambitious path to accelerate the delivery of urgent and emergency care, improve patient outcomes, and restore public confidence in the National Health Service.

By 2026/27, average Category 2 ambulance response times will be reduced to 25 minutes, and by 2028/29, to 18 minutes, with 90% of responses within 40 minutes. Meeting these targets will ensure patients in urgent need receive care more quickly, wherever they are. The MTPF prioritises practical steps to reduce ambulance handover times at hospitals, freeing up crews to get back on the road and improving overall system flow.

There are a range of performance standards the NHS is held to, which support better patient outcomes, including reduced mortality and reduced readmission. The MTPF sets out expectations of improving these standards across the remainder of Parliament. While the constitutional standard remains our ambition, the framework prioritises sustainable progress, ensuring patients are seen more quickly, and that care is delivered closer to home.