Ambulance Handover Delays Surge Across UK Hospitals

A surge in seasonal illnesses has led to an increase in 911 calls in Massachusetts, causing ambulances to wait up to an hour to transfer patients to overcrowded emergency rooms, according to local first responders. Plympton Fire Captain John Sjostedt noted that the nearest hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess in Plymouth, has been at capacity, leaving EMTs unable to return quickly to their communities. Meanwhile, similar issues are reported in Wales, where ambulances have been waiting nearly two hours on average to hand over patients, with over 23,000 ambulances waiting at least four hours last year. The Welsh Ambulance Trust attributes these delays to ongoing pressures across the NHS, which have also prompted critical incidents when half of the vehicles were stuck outside A&E. Hospitals are struggling with high demand and limited bed availability, impacting their ability to process patients efficiently. Both regions are facing significant challenges in emergency healthcare delivery, affecting response times and community coverage.