NHS spending over £1m a week on private ambulances for 999 callouts, says UNISON 

The NHS is spending at least £61 million a year – over £1m a week or £167,000 a day – hiring private ambulances to attend emergency calls, says UNISON today (Monday) as its annual health conference opens in Bournemouth. North West Ambulance Service spent more than £15m between January and December 2022 on private emergency services, according to data obtained by the union. South Central Ambulance Service spent £19m over the past financial year, North East Ambulance Service is paying just under £7m annually, and South East Coast around £6m a year. East Midlands Ambulance Service predicts a £9.5m spend in the financial year between 2022 and 2023, and the latest figures from Yorkshire Ambulance Service show the trust paid out £4.5m between 2021 and 2022. The figures are based on responses from two thirds* of ambulance trusts in England that pay commercial companies to provide cover for critically ill patients. More than a dozen private companies are being commissioned by ambulance trusts across England to fill widening gaps in services and to meet response times amid overwhelming demand, says UNISON. Trusts are booking private emergency vehicles and crews up to a year in advance to be available to respond to emergency incidents such as road traffic accidents and stroke patients. However, UNISON says spending tens of millions on private 999 cover is a short-term fix, not a long-term solution to the crisis in ambulance services. With demand on ambulance services...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release Ambulance Sara Gorton Source Type: news