Rise in patients self-transporting to A&E prompts ‘Uber ambulance’ warnings
- Perry Richardson
- 15 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A growing number of patients are choosing not to wait for ambulances and instead are finding their own way to emergency departments, with 2.7 million attendances at A&E in 2024 involving no ambulance transport. This figure marks a 14% rise compared to 2019 and includes a significant number of critically ill patients, according to data obtained by the Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests.
Only 30 out of 144 NHS Trusts responded with full datasets, meaning the actual numbers could be significantly higher. The party is calling the trend an “Uber ambulance crisis” and has proposed a £50 million annual fund to reopen community ambulance stations. They are also pressing for urgent investment in the recruitment and retention of paramedics.
The FOI data shows 10,600 patients requiring the most urgent form of care (Code 1) arrived at A&E without using an ambulance last year, up from 9,000 in 2023. For Code 2 patients, who also required very urgent attention, there were 256,000 self-presenting cases in 2024. That’s a 55% increase from 2019, when 165,000 such cases were recorded.
Trust-level data points to steep local rises. In Sandwell and West Birmingham, non-ambulance attendances grew from 3,900 in 2019 to 16,500 in 2024, a 320% jump. Mid and South Essex recorded the highest number of attendances overall, with 322,000 people making their own way to A&E, up from 263,000 five years earlier.
The trend is particularly visible among older adults. Of the Trusts providing age-related data, 459,000 patients over the age of 65 attended A&E without ambulance transport last year. This reflects a 22% increase on 2019’s figure of 375,000. Of those, 3,100 were categorised as Code 1 cases, compared to just 370 the previous year. There were also 53,600 Code 2 cases in 2024, a sharp rise from 29,700 in 2019.
North Cumbria saw the highest percentage increase in over-65s arriving without an ambulance, with numbers rising 97% to 22,305. Mid and South Essex again led in total figures for this age group, with 52,400 cases.
The Liberal Democrats argue the figures show many patients no longer trust that an ambulance will arrive in time, even for the most critical emergencies. Helen Morgan MP, the party’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, said: “These figures lay bare an Uber ambulance crisis, where people do not think they can rely on ambulance services even in the most serious of circumstances. This could have deadly consequences if people have lost faith that ambulances will be there when they need them.
“Years of Conservative neglect have brought us to this point and they should hang their heads in shame but the Labour government is failing to deliver the change that people are crying out for. We are still seeing people being treated in A&E corridors and ambulances queuing up outside, causing delays that people are rightfully terrified by.
“Everyone should call and wait for an ambulance if they need one, but we also have to also make sure they reach people on time so no one thinks they have to take themselves to A&E in a life and death situation. That means protecting local ambulance stations from closure and launching a campaign to retain, recruit and train paramedics and other ambulance staff.”
