THE NUMBER of ambulances reaching emergency incidents within an eight-minute target time has dropped by more than eight per cent across Yorkshire in the last year, new figures have revealed.

According to data released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust responded to 69.9 per cent of its 20,200 'Red 1' calls - those deemed to be the most serious and time-critical, such as heart attacks - within eight minutes to the year ending March 31, down from 77.4 per cent in 2013/14.

The Trust responded to 69.3 per cent of its 277,500 'Red 2' calls - marked as serious but less time-critical, such as strokes and fits - within eight minutes in 2014/15, down from 75.1 per cent the previous year.

The 2014/15 national averages for 'Red 1' and 'Red 2' calls were 71.9 per cent and 69.1 per cent, respectively, with trusts expected to achieve a standardised target of 75 per cent.

Across England, the number of emergency 999 calls to ambulance switchboards in 2014/15 was nine million, a six per cent increase of more than 515,000 on the last year, equating to 24,661 calls per day, or 17 calls every minute.

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In Yorkshire, call demand rose by nearly 20 per cent across the year, the highest rise in any region across the country.

Dr David Macklin, executive director of operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said demand for emergency ambulances was increasing year-on-year.

"The winter and festive period saw unprecedented levels of demand across our region and this affected our response times," he said.

"We are currently carrying out a Trust-wide review to look at the ever-increasing demands on our 999 service and staff, and explore ways of how we can work differently and more efficiently to support our emergency cover.

"We would like to reassure members of the public that patients’ needs remain at the heart everything we do, and our absolute focus is ensuring that we continue to deliver a safe, responsive, and high-quality service to the people of Yorkshire."

For less serious calls, ambulances are given a target time of 19 minutes to reach 95 per cent of incidents, with the trust responding to 95.7 per cent across the county within that time last year, down from 97.3 per cent in 2013/14.

In March, an 82 year-old woman had to wait more than two hours for an ambulance after falling and banging her head at the Kirkgate Centre in Bradford.

In January, 72 year-old George Dodgson injured his back, knees, and wrist after falling outside shops in Holme Wood, lying on the ground for more than an hour until help arrived.

Ambulance chiefs apologised in both cases, saying the incidents had occurred during periods of particularly high demand.