The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has agreed its 999 Winter Plan for 2024 with NHS partners including integrated care boards and London's hospitals, the trust announced. The plan was set out to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, and NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard, who visited the LAS headquarters on Waterloo Road with Health Minister Karin Smyth1.
The plan includes increasing the number of ambulances on the streets and staff in control rooms by more than 10 per cent throughout the week, and putting up to 60 additional ambulances on the road at peak times to meet demand1. The service said 999 call volumes have risen by almost 10 per cent and now hover above 6,000 a day, similar to pressure seen in winter 2020, and that at the end of last month it saw 7,000 999 calls, a number usually only seen on New Year's Eve1. More than 16,500 999 and 111 calls were taken on the Saturday before the visit, which the service said was demand not usually seen until well into January1.
Almost 23 per cent of 999 calls are currently dealt with by a clinician over the phone without delaying an ambulance response, and the service is aiming to raise this to 25 per cent, or one in four calls clinically assessed and treated on the phone1. Chief executive Daniel Elkeles said each percentage improvement in the "hear and treat" rate meant ambulances reach patients who have had a stroke or heart attack around a minute faster on average1.
"With our Winter Plan, we are doing everything we can to make sure patients get the right care. However, Londoners can do their part by enjoying the holidays sensibly, looking after elderly friends and relatives and getting their vaccinations for flu and COVID if eligible."
Why it matters for households
The service links rising call volumes to the spread of respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses and the start of the festive season1. It asks the public to drink responsibly, plan journeys home at night and look after their friends, and says 999 should be for life-threatening emergencies, with NHS 111 online a place to start for advice or reassurance1. Mr Elkeles asked Londoners to look after elderly friends and relatives and to get flu and COVID vaccinations if eligible1. Mr Streeting said he was asking trusts to focus on ambulance delays, handovers and the longest A&E waits, and appealed to all eligible people to join the 27 million who have already been vaccinated1. He also said strikes had ended, making this the first winter in three years without staff on the picket line1.
What happens next
No further dates for the winter plan have been reported. The service said it is aiming to raise its hear and treat rate to 25 per cent1. Households can find general preparation guidance in the uk-preparedness hub.
