Community engagement: London Ambulance Service organisational strategy 2023/28

Healthwatch Havering undertook engagement to feed into the London Ambulance Service’s organisational strategy for 2023-2028.  They spoke to at least 51 people via a survey and focus groups.

Most participants were overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative of the service. The conduct and expertise of crew members were highly regarded, and response times were generally thought of as reasonable in all the circumstances of the NHS as it currently reacts to winter and other pressures.

People who were blind, deaf or living with autism or learning disabilities said that they sometimes found it difficult to communicate with crew members.

 Of those surveyed, 41% had used an ambulance in the last 12 months: perhaps surprisingly, only 11% of their calls followed an accident or other traumatic event, the other calls mainly being for reasons connected with physical health symptoms. 68% of the latter category of caller told us that they had previously received medical treatment for the same symptoms.

Most people told us that they had had a fair or better experience of calling 999; about half waited less than an hour for the ambulance to arrive but a 20% had waited for more than four hours. Most people had a good experience of paramedics and none reported a bad experience. All respondents told us that they trusted the paramedics. 33% told us they were not offered pain relief although they felt they needed it.

83% of respondents were taken to hospital. All felt the ambulance were clean and that the journey to hospital was comfortable. 87% of respondents considered the staff to be competent and 84% felt that they were caring and dedicated.

Only 7% considered the service not to be run efficiently but over 50% did not feel it was well-resourced or adequately funded.