Rishi Sunak axes 999 targets and is slammed for putting patients at risk
Rishi Sunak has been accused of putting patients at risk as he waters down ambulance and A&E waiting targets.
The Prime Minister will make the announcement today, amid the worst NHS crisis in its history.
He will set a target of March next year for ambulances to get to suspected heart attack, sepsis and stroke patients within 30 minutes, instead of the current 18-minute target.
These patients waited an average of 93 minutes for paramedics last month. A&E departments will be told that by March 2024, 76% of patients should be seen within four hours.
Hospitals are supposed to see 95% within this timeframe but this standard was last met in July 2015.
Mr Sunak and Health Secretary Steve Barclay will set out the Emergency Care Plan with NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard on today’s visit to the North East.
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting hit out at Tory mismanagement and said: “Even if the NHS achieves his targets, patients will be left waiting longer than is safe.”