Average ambulance waits for heart attacks and strokes over double target

Average ambulance response times for category 2 calls - which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes - were 40 minutes in January 2024 in England. 

The latest figure is a slight improvement on December but remains over double the official target for responding to category 2 calls, which is 18 minutes. NHS England and Government have set a new average target of 30 minutes for 2023/24. This target has been met in just one month since April 2023.

Latest NHS England figures published today show that cardiac waiting lists rose to 405,960 at the end of December 2023 in England – an increase of 3,932 on the previous month. 

The heart care waiting list is 74% larger than in February 2020. This is an increase of 173,000 people – almost enough to fill Wembley stadium nearly twice over.

There was also an increase in the number of people waiting over four months (the maximum intended waiting time target) for potentially lifesaving heart care at the end of December – 163,768 compared with 156,400 at the end of November 2023. However, well over a third (40%) of all people on waiting lists for cardiac care are waiting over 18 weeks for care. 

The number of people waiting over a year for time-critical heart tests and treatments fell to 10,726, from 11,400 in November. Just 28 people were waiting this long in February 2020.   

Heart care crisis

The longer people wait for treatment, the higher their risk of becoming disabled from heart failure or dying prematurely.  

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist, said: “Every minute counts when you have a heart attack or stroke, yet we continue to see extreme delays to ambulances responding to these life-or-death emergencies.

"At the same time, waiting times for planned heart treatment are still at a near-record high. Left unchecked, long waits for time-sensitive heart care can lead to avoidable deaths or disability.

“It deeply troubles me that delays and cancellations to potentially life saving heart care are becoming normalised, and almost expected. Patients and their families must see an end to this crisis soon.

“If you experience the symptoms of a heart attack, please don’t hesitate in phoning 999. It’s still the best thing to do and it could save your life.” 

WHY OUR HEARTS NEED MORE