The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) has recorded its busiest year to date, responding to nearly 100,000 999 calls in September 2026 alone, marking a steady increase from previous years. In Bedfordshire and the wider East of England, ambulance crews attended over 84,000 emergency incidents during the month, up from 80,000 in 2025 and 73,000 in 2024. The service also faced significant delays in transferring patients to hospital care, with crews spending more than 18,000 hours waiting to hand over patients, which can delay ambulance availability for new emergencies.
Darren Meads, EEAST's chief operating officer, emphasised the challenges faced by ambulance teams and the importance of system-wide cooperation to improve patient flow and reduce delays. With winter approaching, EEAST is focusing on early preparation to maintain high-quality care and rapid response times. The service is collaborating with hospitals, Integrated Care Boards, and community services, while encouraging the public to use NHS 111 for non-life-threatening medical issues to keep emergency ambulances available for those in urgent need.
Read the full story: Bedford Today news.
Source: Bedford Today news. Aggregated summary, not independent reporting.