GP urgent calls meeting national 15 minute target

Percentage of GP urgent calls receiving a response within the national 15 minute target

Rationale

This target is set out in the executive letter covering the 1996 review of ambulance service performance which recommended 999 call categorisation. It is repeated in Health Services Circular 1999/091 Modernising Ambulance Services. The GP urgent target is based on historical performance requirements set for NHS ambulance services in the 1974 ORCON standards. Ambulance services are required to take patients to hospitals who are identified by a doctor as urgent and these patients should arrive at hospital within 15 minutes of the arrival time specified by the doctor, in 95% of cases.

Thresholds

Legend
Band 1 - poor	Less than 80%
Band 2	-
Band 3	Greater than or equal to 80% and less than 95%
Band 4	-
Band 5 - good	Greater than or equal to 95%

Data source and period

KA34 Ambulance Services (Financial Year 2004/05)

Construction

Numerator:
Number of GP urgent calls receiving a response within the national 15 minute target.

Denominator:
Number of GP urgent calls.

Indicator:
Number of GP urgent calls receiving a response within the national 15 minute target divided by number of GP urgent calls.

Expressed as a percentage.