New figures have been released which show that patients are waiting longer than ever before for an ambulance, and people in Devon are waiting even longer than most. 

The Nuffield Trust have released figures which show ambulance response times for urgent incidents have increased across the country, including for the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

In December 2022, the average waiting for the most serious cases (a Category 1 incident) was 13 minutes. The NHS target is 7 minutes and the English average response time is 11 minutes. 

For Category 2 incidents - which include stroke and heart attack victims - people in the South West waited an average of 2 hours 40 minutes for an ambulance. The average wait for England was 1 hour 32 minutes and the NHS target is 18 minutes. 

Richard Foord, the MP for Tiverton and Honiton, has called the long waits 'staggering.' He said: "These new figures show just how much pressure our local A&E and Ambulance services are under. We are seeing record waiting times, the worst in the country, as thousands are left waiting hours in pain and agony to get the care they need.

"Far too many people across the West Country are having to wait far too long to get the treatment they need. In many cases, this is literally a matter of life or death."