South Central Ambulance Service response times, September 2026
Emergencies such as stroke: 32 min on average The standard is 18 min. England: 31 min.
Sixth quickest of 11 services in England.
Life-threatening emergency: call 999.
By category
- Category 1: life-threatening, such as a cardiac arrest 9 min average 9 in 10 within 16 min. Standard: 7 min on average, 9 in 10 within 15 min.
- Category 2: emergencies, such as a stroke or heart attack 32 min average 9 in 10 within 1 h. Standard: 18 min on average, 9 in 10 within 40 min.
- Category 3: urgent but not life-threatening, such as a fall 2 h 26 min average 9 in 10 within 5 h 12 min. Standard: 9 in 10 within 2 hours.
- Category 4: less urgent; some calls get advice by phone instead 2 h 45 min average 9 in 10 within 5 h 32 min. Standard: 9 in 10 within 3 hours.
Last 12 months
| Month | Category 1 average | Category 2 average | Category 3, 9 in 10 | Category 4, 9 in 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 min | 32 min | 5 h 12 min | 5 h 32 min | |
| 9 min | 29 min | 4 h 25 min | 4 h 43 min | |
| 9 min | 31 min | 5 h 12 min | 5 h 53 min | |
| 9 min | 41 min | 6 h 54 min | 7 h 12 min | |
| 9 min | 34 min | 6 h 8 min | 6 h 57 min | |
| 8 min | 25 min | 3 h 55 min | 4 h 57 min | |
| 8 min | 27 min | 4 h 35 min | 5 h 27 min | |
| 8 min | 29 min | 5 h 2 min | 6 h 39 min | |
| 9 min | 38 min | 7 h 50 min | 7 h 56 min | |
| 8 min | 32 min | 7 h 16 min | 6 h 32 min | |
| 8 min | 33 min | 7 h 42 min | 8 h 10 min | |
| 9 min | 32 min | 6 h 49 min | 7 h 19 min |
Areas it covers
NHS England figures, , checked . About the data.