Ambulance Delays

We regularly receive complaints about long waits for ambulances after people call 999. NHS services are under significant pressure, and unfortunately this means some people may have to wait longer than they would like. This factsheet explains how we consider complaints about ambulance delays, including the factors we take into account when deciding whether to investigate and when we may uphold a complaint.

It is important to remember that ambulance delays are not always fully within the control of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST). Sometimes, no ambulances are available because they are waiting outside hospitals that do not have space to admit the patients already in those ambulances. When this happens, we will take these circumstances into account when reaching a decision.

We consider each complaint on its own facts. However, we are more likely to investigate and uphold a complaint if:

• There is evidence that an ambulance was available, but WAST delayed sending it because the 999 call was incorrectly categorised, and this caused the patient clinical harm.
• There is evidence that the call was correctly categorised and an ambulance was available, but WAST failed to assign it to the call, and this caused the patient clinical harm.
• There is evidence that no ambulances were available because they were waiting outside hospitals. If the delay caused clinical harm, we would be unlikely to uphold a complaint against WAST because the cause of the delay was outside its control. However, we may consider whether the relevant Health Board took appropriate steps to manage hospital pressures and help ambulances return to service.

We consider each complaint on its own facts. However, we are unlikely to investigate and uphold a complaint if:

• There is no evidence that the delay caused clinical harm to the patient, even if the wait was distressing for the patient or their family.
• The evidence shows that WAST and the relevant Health Board followed the correct policies and procedures to manage hospital capacity pressures, but demand was so high that no ambulances were available to respond.

Decisions about funding and resources for WAST and the wider NHS are matters for the government. We cannot recommend that additional resources should be provided to WAST or Health Boards.

We will assess whether the treatment or care met appropriate standards, taking into account where it was provided. For example, care in a general hospital would not be assessed against the same standards as care in a specialist unit.

Under the Listening to People (LTP) process, WAST must consider whether a patient has suffered harm because it failed in its duty of care.

If WAST decides this has happened, it may offer redress. This could include additional treatment, financial compensation, or both.

Once we have started investigating a complaint, we cannot refer it back to the LTP process. If you would like your complaint to be considered through LTP, you must do this before asking us to investigate it.

Llais can provide free help and support with making your complaint. You can contact them via their helpline on 02920 235 558. 

If you are not sure whether we would be able to look into your complaint, please contact us on 0300 790 0203.

Also available in Welsh.