Ambulance services are facing “the sort of pressures we would normally expect to see in winter” a health minister has said, insisting the Government is “making sure that all NHS trusts are prepared” for the heatwave.
Health minister Maria Caulfield told the Commons “it’s extremely concerning for the months ahead”, adding she would be “meeting all 11 ambulance trusts over the coming days to make sure that they have the capacity and resilience they need”.
Answering an urgent question from Labour about ambulance services and the declaration of a national heatwave emergency, she added: “In terms of urgency, we have procured a contract for an auxiliary ambulance service with a total value of £30 million which will provide national surge capacity if needed to support the ambulance response during periods of increased pressure. So, that is there should we need it.”
Shadow healthy secretary Wes Streeting said “extreme weather” is putting further pressure on emergency services “but it is 12 years of Conservative underfunding that has left them unable to cope”.
These are the sort of pressures we would normally expect to see in winter and we’re seeing them in the summer months, which is usually their down time and it’s extremely concerning for the months ahead as we do head into winter— Maria Caulfield, Health Minister
Responding to a question from Labour’s Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) about the “terrible situation”, Ms Caulfield said: “He’s absolutely right, they are at record pressures.
“These are the sort of pressures we would normally expect to see in winter and we’re seeing them in the summer months, which is usually their down time and it’s extremely concerning for the months ahead as we do head into winter.
Labour’s Naz Shah (Bradford West) noted: “24 hours in A&E used to be a (reality) TV programme, now it’s Government policy.”
Ms Caulfield said: “I will be meeting all 11 ambulance trusts over the coming days to make sure that they have the capacity and resilience they need not just to deal with the pressures now, not just to deal with the pressures with the warm weather, but to prepare for the winter pressures that we know will be inevitable and forthcoming.”
She said she has set out a heatwave plan for England, published earlier this year, adding: “We are making sure that all NHS trusts are prepared.”
Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Daisy Cooper called on the minister “to convene an urgent meeting of Cobra (Civil Contingencies Committee) today to protect patients and paramedics who are really operating at the brink”.
Mr Streeting, criticised new Health Secretary Steve Barclay for not being present to answer as a “disgrace”, adding: “The Home Secretary wasn’t at the Home Affairs Select Committee this morning, he’s not here this afternoon, this isn’t even a Government in office, let alone in power.”
He said: “Every ambulance service is now on the highest level of alert, so what is the Secretary of State doing about it?”
Mr Streeting added: “This, as I think she acknowledged, is a crisis across the health service.
“Last month, a crew in the West Midlands waited 26 hours outside A&E because there weren’t the clinical staff to hand over to.
“What is the Government doing to provide additional support to A&Es during this heatwave?”
Ms Caulfield responded: “The latest figures from the NHS in England show that ambulance service response time performance has improved month on month.
“The ambulance hours lost is also improving month on month as well. However, we do fully acknowledge that there are rising pressures facing the service.”
Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central Chi Onwurah said patients have faced a wait of up to 11 hours for an ambulance after experiencing “rapid heart fluctuations”.
She said: “Isn’t it absolutely negligent of her Government to leave our NHS unable to protect my constituents, particularly facing a heatwave, and what is she going to do to ensure they have the resources necessary?”
