Ambulances handed over patients more than 2 minutes faster last month despite facing their busiest January since before COVID-19.
Provisional figures out today show there were 420,324 ambulances handovers with known times in January, the highest number for the month since 2020 and a 5.2% increase compared to 399,415 in January last year.
Despite this, the average handover time this January (37:16) was more than 2 minutes faster than January 2025 (39:27) and last week’s average time was almost 5 minutes (4:42) faster than the same week last year.
The improvement in performance amid high demand is a sign of the positive impact of NHS planning and preparation for winter, as services focused on keeping more ambulances on the road and improving patient flow through hospitals.
Winter viruses continue to add to demand in hospitals with more than 1,000 (1,093) adult beds on average closed or occupied each day last week due to norovirus. There were also still more than 900 patients (904) on average in hospital each day last week with the bug.
There were also almost 4,000 more calls (3,878) received by NHS 111 services (381,479) compared to the same week last year (377,601).
Flu rates continue to drop since last month’s peak, but there was still an average of almost 1,500 (1,491) patients in hospital with flu and an average of 630 patients in hospital with COVID-19 per day last week.
Vaccination data shows 18.8 million flu vaccines have been delivered since the autumn/winter campaign began – around half a million more than at the same point last year, helping to keep more people out of hospital and protected against getting seriously ill from the virus.
On Monday (2 February 2026) the government announced that from April the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine will be offered to additional groups most vulnerable to serious outcomes from infection, specifically adults aged 80 years and over and all residents in care homes for older adults.
People turning 75 or who are between 75 and 79 as well as pregnant women can come forward now for their jab and get protected.
NHS National Medical Director Professor Meghana Pandit said: “Early NHS preparation and planning for winter is paying off for patients.
“Patients are being handed over from ambulances quicker, even amid high demand on services – with more handovers last month than any January since before the pandemic.
“Higher vaccination rates are helping to limit the impact of winter viruses like flu, though cases of the vomiting bug are still high in hospitals, which staff are working extremely hard to keep under control.
“Vaccinations remain the best protection available from seasonal viruses, so if you are eligible for your flu, COVID-19 or RSV jab please come forward”.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “By planning for winter earlier than ever before, we’re now seeing real improvements in urgent and emergency care. Ambulance response times and handovers are faster, the longest A&E delays are falling compared to last year, and flu is taking up fewer hospital beds.
“We backed this with £450 million for urgent and emergency care, 500 new ambulances on the road, and millions of flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations to keep people well and out of hospital.
“Winter pressures haven’t disappeared, but we’re learning from this season to strengthen our response further and break the cycle of struggle the NHS faces each winter”.
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