Ambulances are reaching serious emergencies across West Cumbria around 10 minutes quicker than they were a year ago – and Josh MacAlister MP saw that progress first-hand after joining a local paramedic on shift in a rapid response vehicle.
Spending time on the frontline with a West Cumbrian crew, Josh observed how rapid response vehicles are dispatched to life-threatening Category 2 emergencies – including heart attacks and strokes – often arriving ahead of a full ambulance to begin urgent treatment.
New figures show that for these serious incidents, local crews are now reaching patients around 10 minutes faster than last year – a change that can mean the difference between life and death in a rural area like ours, where distance and geography can pose real challenges.
Across England, average ambulance waits are down by a third – from 47:26 to 32:43 – following major new investment in emergency care, including an additional £450 million through the 2025/26 emergency care plan.
Josh MacAlister MP said:
“It was a real privilege to shadow one of our brilliant local paramedics and see first-hand the work they do in incredibly pressured circumstances. In West Cumbria, where journeys can be long and time matters enormously, every minute saved can save a life.
“The fact that ambulances are now reaching serious emergencies around 10 minutes faster than a year ago is hugely significant. That’s lifesaving care arriving more quickly for our communities.
“For too long, people here were promised improvements in the NHS but didn’t see them. We’re now starting to turn that around – through record investment and real modernisation: more evening and weekend appointments, surgical hubs cutting backlogs, more GP appointments, and smarter use of technology.
“But we know there’s much more to do. After years of Conservative failure, our health service was left under enormous strain. Labour is rebuilding it – and we utterly reject Nigel Farage’s reckless idea of scrapping the NHS and replacing it with private health insurance.
“People in West Cumbria voted for change. By backing our frontline staff and delivering faster emergency care, we’re making that change real.”
Josh MacAlister MP 