Sizeable improvement in ambulance handover delays shows NHS's potential

• The latest figures show pressure on emergency care services remains high – June saw the third highest daily attendances at emergency care facilities on record. But the average time from arrival to triage was 16 minutes – the shortest since February 2021.
• Ambulance handover times in June were the lowest since September 2021.
• There were just over 796,100 referral to treatment patient pathways waiting to start treatment in May, an increase of around 6,200 since April.

Responding to the latest NHS Wales activity and performance statistics, a spokesperson for the Welsh NHS Confederation said:

“NHS activity and performance figures for May and June paint a mixed picture for the health and care system in Wales.

“While many areas remain stable, the significant reduction in ambulance handover delays, both month on month and year on year, must be welcomed. Thanks to the hard work and determination of staff and leaders, ambulance handover delays came down from 19,700 hours in May to 15,300 hours in June, compared to 22,000 hours in May last year.

“Not only does this speed up the transfer of people into emergency departments, it also releases ambulance crews to respond to 999 calls in the community to those who need it most.   

“However, if we want to see whole-system improvements, we need sustained capital investment – in NHS estates and infrastructure – to boost productivity, an accelerated solution to the pressures facing our social care system and a whole-government shift towards prevention, to reduce demand in the first place and create a healthier nation. Without these changes, we will continue to see fluctuating performance across different parts of the health and care system.”