Financial Overview and Staffing Concerns of NHS Ambulance Trusts for 2023/24
The NHS: Where does all the money go? 🔗
The financial overview of the NHS Ambulance Trusts in England reveals a total income of over £4 billion for the 2023/24 fiscal year. Of the 58,503 employees, a significant portion are support staff rather than front-line ambulance personnel. There is notable variation in staffing and response times across different trusts, with serious concerns about ambulance wait times, particularly for life-threatening and serious but non-life-threatening emergencies. Changes in target response times have prompted questions about the effectiveness of management and the allocation of resources. Recommendations include increasing the number of patient-facing staff and improving management culture to enhance service delivery.
What is the total income of the NHS Ambulance Trusts for 2023/24?
The total income is just over £4 billion (£4,035 million).
How many ambulance staff are employed by the NHS Ambulance Trusts?
As of July 2024, there are 20,608 ambulance staff, making up 35% of the total workforce.
Why have ambulance response times worsened?
Worsening response times are attributed to increased sickness absence, delays in hospital handovers, and the need for better management and operational performance.