The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has achieved its fastest response times in years for life-threatening emergencies, according to new figures released today by NHS England.
In April 2025, crews reached Category one patients—those suffering cardiac arrests, respiratory failure, or other life-threatening conditions—quicker than at any point since April 2022.
Response times for Category two emergencies, including strokes, were also the fastest since June 2021, improving by over seven minutes compared to April last year.
Figures Reflect NHS Progress Post-Pandemic
The data, published in the Ambulance Quality Indicators, marks a significant turnaround for LAS, which faced major challenges during and after the Covid-19 pandemic due to soaring demand.
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of LAS, praised staff efforts:
“Although the pandemic might feel like an increasingly distant memory, the demand for our services has only continued to grow.
Today’s figures are testament to a great deal of hard work by our staff and collaboration with partners in the NHS in London.”
Innovation Driving Faster Care
Key strategies contributing to the improvements include:
- ‘Hear and treat’ model: Clinicians assess and direct patients to appropriate care via phone, reducing unnecessary hospital trips and freeing up ambulance crews.
- Peak staffing increases: More staff deployed on roads and in control rooms during high-demand periods.
- Hospital handover targets: Close collaboration ensures patients are transferred to hospital care within 45 minutes, getting crews back on the road faster.
Nearly one in five patients was treated remotely last month—the highest rate in the country—helping crews reach other emergencies more swiftly.
Looking Ahead
Mr Elkeles said LAS still has work to do to meet national targets, but the trajectory is encouraging:
“We are heading in the right direction.
We will keep innovating to better our performance and are keen to maximise the opportunities of the government’s reform of the NHS.”
Where to Find the Data
The full Ambulance Quality Indicators report for 2025–26 can be accessed via the NHS England website.
