A Liberal Democrats survey says one in four people have avoided calling an ambulance because they thought it would take too long to arrive.
One in four (25%) Brits who needed to visit A&E but did not call for an ambulance called for a taxi, one in five (18%) walked to A&E and 17% chose to stay at home rather than get the treatment they needed.
The data also revealed that half (49%) of Brits said they are worried that they will face a 12 hour wait in A&E or won’t be able to access NHS treatment due to long waiting lists if the health service faces another winter crisis. Almost half of UK adults (45%) were worried that they won’t be able to see their local GP, while a staggering two in five (38%) are worried an ambulance won’t arrive for them at all if the NHS is hit by another winter crisis.
Commenting on the figures, Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive, NHS Providers, said: “Anyone in an emergency who needs help fast should call 999 right away. In England demand - a third higher than before the pandemic - for the most serious ambulance calls has gone through the roof but trusts and staff continue to work flat out to see patients as quickly as possible.
“Latest figures show improved ambulance response times. Recent months have been some of the busiest ever for callouts. Despite their best efforts stretched teams face an uphill battle as demand keeps outstripping available resources and staff. Adequate long-term investment in ambulance services is needed alongside sustained efforts to recruit, train and retain staff."
