London Ambulance Service Exceeds Critical Target as National Performance Improves

LONDON — The London Ambulance Service (LAS) is getting to people faster than it did last year, especially for the most serious emergencies. New figures from NHS England show a big improvement in response times for the most ill patients.

For Category One calls, which are the most life-threatening situations like a cardiac arrest, the ambulance service is now reaching people in an average of six minutes and 56 seconds. This is nearly half a minute faster than in July 2024 and, importantly, it beats the official seven-minute target.

The service has also improved its response to Category Two emergencies, which include serious incidents like strokes and chest pains, by getting to patients eight minutes quicker than last year. This is a remarkable achievement, especially since the LAS has been dealing with a huge increase in calls, partly due to the recent hot weather.

Jason Killens, the chief executive of the LAS, praised his staff, saying their hard work has helped them get to the sickest patients more quickly. He explained that the service has made some changes to its operations, such as speeding up the time it takes for staff to gather equipment and working more closely with hospitals to hand patients over faster.

The LAS is also using phone assessments more often. In July 2025, over 27,500 Londoners were helped over the phone by a clinician, which meant they didn't need to go to a busy hospital. This approach has freed up ambulances for more urgent calls, allowing them to focus on the people who need them most.