More than half of people are worried about facing “dangerously long” waits for ambulances and A&E treatment if they fall seriously ill, according to a poll. A survey of more than 1,000 British adults found around six out of 10 (61%) people were not confident an ambulance would arrive quickly if they needed one.
The poll, carried out by Ipsos for the PA news agency, also found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of people did not have confidence they would be seen quickly in A&E if they needed emergency care. It comes amid reports of ambulances taking hours to arrive, patients waiting for hours in packed A&E departments and the NHS struggling with widespread staffing gaps.
The poll also found that the public was most concerned about long waiting lists and waiting times (62% of those surveyed), followed by not enough staff and overworked staff, both at 57%. Dr Katherine Henderson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the survey confirmed the “frustration and dissatisfaction” people have with the urgent and emergency care system.
