Ambulance Response Times Improve

New figures released by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) show ambulance crews are reaching patients faster than a year ago, despite a significant increase in demand.

Data for May 2026 reveals improvements in response times for the most serious emergencies. For Category 2 incidents, which include suspected strokes and chest pain, the average response time fell to 29 minutes and 47 seconds, more than two minutes faster than the 32 minutes and 11 seconds recorded in May 2025.

Response times for the most critical Category 1 emergencies also improved, with ambulances arriving in an average of 8 minutes and 17 seconds, compared with 8 minutes and 25 seconds a year earlier.

The improvements come despite EEAST receiving more than 5,000 additional 999 calls and attending over 5,000 more patients than in May last year.

The Trust says greater use of clinical staff in control rooms has helped improve efficiency, with 16.62% of patients successfully treated over the phone, up from 14.66% in May 2025.

Chief Executive Neill Moloney praised the dedication of ambulance crews and support staff, saying their professionalism had been key to the improvements. He added that EEAST would continue investing in staff, vehicles and services to maintain progress ahead of winter pressures.