Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Ambulance Response Times

Tuesday 24 February 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Sureena Brackenridge visited Willenhall ambulance hub to thank staff and discuss winter pressures and local handover delays.
  • The Minister introduced 45-minute release-to-rescue handovers and committed to improving rest facilities for staff wellbeing.
  • Helen Maguire asked the Minister to designate ambulance stations as critical infrastructure and set up an emergency fund to support them.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sureena Brackenridge Lab Wolverhampton North East
NHS
Context

The MP notes the progress made on ambulance response times but highlights local issues such as winter pressures, handover delays, and staff strain. She visits Willenhall ambulance hub to thank staff and hear about challenges.

Question

I welcome the progress made on ambulance response times and handovers. I recently visited Willenhall ambulance hub to thank the incredible staff and to hear about winter pressures, local handover delays and the strain of late finishes on their family life and childcare. What action is being taken to tackle systemic bottlenecks in A&E departments, high bed occupancy and pharmacy delays to protect staff wellbeing and ensure high-quality patient care?

Answer from Karin Smyth

I commend my hon. Friend for visiting her ambulance service to understand the pressures they face. We have introduced release-to-rescue 45-minute handovers to reduce delays, and we are committed to improving rest facilities to support staff wellbeing. NHS England's model emergency department will set out core principles and pathways for high-performing emergency departments to improve patient experience and flow with lower waiting times and less overcrowding.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to address pharmacy delays were not mentioned

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Q2 Sureena Brackenridge Lab Wolverhampton North East
NHS
Context

The MP acknowledges the progress made on ambulance response times but seeks to understand the systemic issues affecting A&E departments, including high bed occupancy and pharmacy delays.

Question

I welcome the progress made on ambulance response times and handovers. I recently visited Willenhall ambulance hub to thank the incredible staff and to hear about winter pressures, local handover delays and the strain of late finishes on their family life and childcare. What action is being taken to tackle systemic bottlenecks in A&E departments, high bed occupancy and pharmacy delays to protect staff wellbeing and ensure high-quality patient care?

Answer from Karin Smyth

I commend my hon. Friend for visiting her ambulance service to understand the pressures they face. We have introduced release-to-rescue 45-minute handovers to reduce delays, and we are committed to improving rest facilities to support staff wellbeing. NHS England's model emergency department will set out core principles and pathways for high-performing emergency departments to improve patient experience and flow with lower waiting times and less overcrowding.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to address pharmacy delays were not mentioned

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Q3 Helen Maguire Lib Dem Epsom and Ewell
NHS
Context

The MP observes the work of local ambulance crews and notes significant service strain. She proposes designating ambulance stations as critical infrastructure to prevent closures and sets up an emergency fund for support.

Question

In November, I joined a local ambulance crew and saw at first hand the great work they do for our community, but services are under huge strain. Will the Minister designate ambulance stations as critical infrastructure to protect them from closure and set up an emergency fund to support them?

Answer from Karin Smyth

I commend the hon. Member for going out with her crews. We look at things such as where ambulances are located and how they operationalise their services. We will continue to work with NHS England on the best model for local constituencies.

Not addressed: Designation of ambulance stations as critical infrastructure and setting up an emergency fund were not addressed

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