Somerset MP Sarah Dyke took a hands-on look at the pressures facing emergency services by spending a day riding along with an ambulance crew in Glastonbury. On September 29, the Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton joined staff from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) to observe the challenges impacting patient care firsthand.
During the shift, Ms Dyke accompanied Emergency Ambulance Associate Lyndsey Locke and Paramedic Liz McCabe, gaining valuable insight into the operational difficulties, especially the delays hospitals face in accepting patients from ambulances. Covering a vast area of 10,000 square miles and serving over 5.7 million people, SWASFT consistently battles with prolonged patient handover times, which directly affect ambulance availability and emergency response effectiveness.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms Dyke said, “It was a privilege to witness the professionalism, compassion, and dedication of our ambulance crews, who work under immense pressure daily. The stories shared revealed just how overstretched the service is, particularly in rural locations where wait times are often longer than the national average.”
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She further emphasized that systemic delays, including difficulties in securing GP appointments, are forcing more people to turn to 999 emergency calls and A&E visits, exacerbating the strain on ambulance services.
“The winter months will only intensify this crisis. We owe it to both our ambulance staff and patients to tackle these issues urgently,” Ms Dyke stated. She praised the commitment of SWASFT workers and pledged to continue advocating in Parliament for the resources and support they desperately need.
Ms Dyke has been vocal about ambulance wait times, leading parliamentary debates to address the problem of ambulances queuing outside hospitals—a symptom of a broader healthcare system under pressure.
The Liberal Democrats propose ending the excessive ambulance handover delays by increasing staffed hospital beds, addressing corridor care, and improving social care provisions. Additionally, they have called for a £1.5 billion ring-fenced winter resilience fund over four years aimed at bolstering hospitals, A&E departments, ambulance services, and patient discharge processes to better prepare for seasonal surges.