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Currently performance requirements for ambulances dealing with non-urgent 999 'Category C' calls are set and monitored at a national level.  From 1st October, local NHS organisations will have responsibility for managing and monitoring how local services respond to these types of call .

Rosie Winterton said:

'We are now giving Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and local ambulance trusts the freedom to work together so they can decide how best to care for patients with non-urgent healthcare needs'.

'Primary care trusts and ambulance trusts will now be able to work with other local health organisations to agree how to deliver the best possible, clinically safe response for patients and how to measure local performance.  This will help to ensure patients get a fast responsive service that meets their needs and that efficient use is made of ambulance technicians, paramedics and emergency care practitioner skills.

'Thanks to the hard work of staff, ambulance trusts are reaching more patients with life-threatening conditions faster than ever before, reaching over 75 per cent of them in under eight minutes.  Our NHS reforms mean that we are shifting the balance of power from the centre, to patients and frontline NHS staff, using national leverage to enhance local delivery.'

Around the country ambulance trusts are already implementing new ways of working to provide services tailored to individual patients who have non-urgent health care needs and do not need to be taken to A&E such as:

Welcoming this announcement, Ambulance Service Association President Paul Phillips said:
"The Ambulance Service Association has worked closely with the Department of Health and our member services on the issue of 'Category C' responses.  We are delighted that member services will now be able to exercise greater discretion in responding to non life-threatening calls.  This development will ensure the effective deployment of resources to patients requiring urgent medical intervention while extending the appropriate level of care for less urgent cases."

Peter Bradley, National Ambulance Advisor said:

'Today's move is about providing the most appropriate care to patients.  Flexibility to provide alternative care pathways for patients with non-urgent conditions means that ambulance trusts can provide a better service to these patients without the need to follow a national response time.  This can range from treating patients at home to prevent unnecessary admission to hospital or attendance at A&E to making sure they get specialist care more quickly through prompt referral to other organisations.  It's important to note though that an appropriate response for some patients will still be an ambulance arriving at the scene within 14 minutes in urban areas and 19 minutes in rural areas."

Barry Johns, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service, said:

"It is a positive development that encourages the modernisation of ambulance services to move forward by enabling, in consultation locally with patients and NHS partners, more effective and appropriate care for those patients with relatively minor injuries or illness.

'The potential introduction of alternative means of care for 'Category C' patients can then allow ambulance services to improve their responsiveness where the needs of the patient are most acute.  Concentrating the clinical skills of our State Registered Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians on attending to patients whose condition or illness may be serious or life threatening will help the West Midlands Ambulance Service to improve overall standards of emergency care.'

Chris Carney, Chief Executive of East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust:

"The introduction of the new Category C arrangements is a major step forwards for responding more sensitively to the real needs of patients who call for help.  Patients often want advice, reassurance and assessment either by phone or face to face to assess their clinical needs and ensure they are met with the appropriate service and care.  We will be working with local Primary Care Trusts and health and social care professionals to ensure patient safety and satisfaction."