Ambulance anger 999 report failure must be heeded

THE assertion that the UK's health system is the most efficient of seven industrialised countries offers no comfort to those patients who have had the misfortune to be at the mercy of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Its response times to 999 calls are, yet again, the slowest in the country – and reiterate the importance

of the Care Quality Commission's recent warning that services must improve by October.

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In the past, ambulance bosses have pointed to the region's geography, and the difficulties of covering both large metropolitan areas and isolated rural communities in two national parks. Other ambulance services achieve this balance, so why should Yorkshire be the exception?

Ambulance bosses would also be ill-advised to seek solace in the fact that last winter was the coldest for a generation, and left services under an unprecedented strain. While this is a mitigating factor, the big freeze was not unique to Yorkshire; the whole country was affected in equal measure.

With a new chief executive being appointed to replace the recently departed Martyn Pritchard, and former North Yorkshire chief constable Della Cannings becoming the service's new chairman, this management upheaval offers an opportunity for a fresh start.

However, three points need to be made. First, response times failed to improve significantly last year despite extra spending and the recruitment of additional staff. Second, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, like other organisations, will be expected to economise, while maintaining standards in those areas, like Hull, that enjoy good response times. And, finally, Ms Cannings made some unwise spending decisions – most notably over the costly installation of a new shower – when she was a police chief.

Such mistakes cannot be repeated. And nor can there be a repeat of Yorkshire Ambulance Service's excuses – services have to improve.