AQW 38658/22-27


Mr Andrew McMurray
Alliance Party
South Down


Tabled Date: 20/01/2026
Answered On Date: 05/02/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the (i) average; (ii) maximum; and (iii) minimum, ambulance response times, for each category of call, in each month of 2025, broken down by (a) District Electoral Area in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area; and (a) local council area.


Answer:
Ambulance call categorisation for emergency calls is standardised across the UK. For your information, ambulance call category definitions and response time standards are set out in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Call Type
Category
Mean Standard
Immediately life threatening
Cat 1
8 Mins
999 Emergency – potentially serious incidents
Cat 2
18 Mins
Urgent problem
Cat 3
*120 Mins
Non- emergency ED visits
Cat 4
*180 Mins
*This is the 90th centile standard for category 3 and category 4 calls as there is not a mean standard
Table 2 shows the average ambulance response times for each category of call in each month of 2025, broken down by district electoral Area in the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area, District Council Area and Local Council area.
Table 2
DEA
Month
(2025)
Average of Response Times
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
CROTLIEVE
Jan
0:13:42
1:11:02
1:16:04
 
Feb
0:20:12
0:58:48
2:04:45
 
Mar
0:13:25
1:13:50
2:56:52
 
Apr
0:14:03
1:09:29
1:39:46
 
May
0:16:58
1:09:48
2:29:46
 
Jun
0:15:29
1:20:03
3:16:31
 
Jul
0:15:19
1:09:31
2:05:17
 
Aug
0:17:04
1:24:55
2:52:33
 
Sep
0:14:03
1:03:28
1:54:32
 
Oct
0:17:45
1:20:47
1:41:16
 
Nov
0:17:33
1:25:12
2:11:30
 
Dec
0:13:59
1:48:04
4:05:28
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DOWNPATRICK
Jan
0:20:32
1:35:21
4:24:11
 
Feb
0:14:14
0:55:39
2:17:19
 
Mar
0:14:59
0:53:57
2:15:15
 
Apr
0:18:46
1:19:36
2:41:36
 
May
0:17:31
1:42:21
8:38:09
 
Jun
0:17:48
1:42:33
2:09:30
 
Jul
0:19:10
1:27:05
3:42:12
 
Aug
0:21:52
2:16:29
5:55:53
 
Sep
0:19:20
1:56:15
2:03:59
 
Oct
0:21:35
1:49:04
2:26:44
0:49:03
Nov
0:21:15
1:58:14
4:24:43
 
Dec
0:20:27
2:09:14
6:59:35
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NEWRY
Jan
0:10:10
1:11:44
1:46:48
 
Feb
0:11:06
0:58:05
1:56:56
 
Mar
0:09:53
1:04:45
2:38:30
1:43:07
Apr
0:12:18
0:56:08
2:15:43
 
May
0:12:41
1:04:41
2:08:21
 
Jun
0:13:39
1:04:57
1:53:18
 
Jul
0:08:35
1:03:44
1:35:41
 
Aug
0:13:01
1:15:34
1:34:52
 
Sep
0:08:12
0:59:14
1:50:44
 
Oct
0:09:51
1:08:07
3:13:46
 
Nov
0:13:10
1:26:29
4:33:14
 
Dec
0:13:12
1:42:08
4:07:39
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ROWALLANE
Jan
0:14:41
1:10:21
7:45:01
 
Feb
0:14:31
0:54:41
1:42:21
 
Mar
0:16:00
0:51:08
1:15:39
 
Apr
0:15:58
1:07:04
1:51:17
 
May
0:15:17
1:16:36
3:57:17
 
Jun
0:15:41
1:31:04
2:50:40
 
Jul
0:19:42
1:33:56
3:12:37
 
Aug
0:19:37
1:43:08
4:07:11
 
Sep
0:18:28
2:03:36
2:42:46
 
Oct
0:26:37
1:38:16
8:39:25
 
Nov
0:12:40
2:00:59
4:53:43
 
Dec
0:20:45
2:19:30
10:40:31
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE CROOB
Jan
0:22:53
1:43:07
2:36:23
 
Feb
0:20:02
0:57:32
2:05:21
 
Mar
0:19:48
0:53:44
1:55:16
0:42:56
Apr
0:13:21
1:11:21
1:41:05
0:47:34
May
0:14:39
1:39:12
3:35:43
 
Jun
0:24:25
1:38:55
4:39:24
 
Jul
0:25:09
1:24:28
2:37:59
 
Aug
0:41:40
1:48:30
4:24:56
 
Sep
0:22:16
1:57:54
2:29:41
 
Oct
0:23:35
1:58:11
1:54:33
 
Nov
0:25:05
1:28:14
4:02:10
 
Dec
0:22:10
2:16:37
5:55:20
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE GULLION
Jan
0:12:07
1:24:10
3:06:24
 
Feb
0:14:49
0:48:35
1:31:28
 
Mar
0:19:20
1:24:16
1:38:09
 
Apr
0:13:20
0:58:14
0:35:20
 
May
0:20:50
1:14:11
4:17:06
 
Jun
0:16:11
1:18:54
1:43:52
 
Jul
0:14:59
1:20:52
1:36:00
 
Aug
0:16:46
1:34:11
3:57:13
 
Sep
0:16:01
1:02:55
1:41:54
 
Oct
0:17:39
1:12:06
3:25:59
1:49:04
Nov
0:19:39
1:22:21
2:46:30
 
Dec
0:16:59
2:24:43
3:45:31
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MOURNES
Jan
0:21:05
1:21:49
3:05:10
 
Feb
0:23:55
1:08:04
2:04:15
 
Mar
0:19:14
1:05:28
2:04:03
 
Apr
0:21:11
1:13:46
2:25:52
 
May
0:22:46
1:20:51
2:45:04
 
Jun
0:19:00
1:35:01
3:16:48
 
Jul
0:26:46
1:40:18
2:44:31
 
Aug
0:27:24
1:44:11
3:25:43
 
Sep
0:31:24
1:38:06
2:25:56
 
Oct
0:24:12
1:31:29
3:09:31
 
Nov
0:20:13
1:48:29
2:55:29
 
Dec
0:32:35
1:50:57
5:54:21
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Overall Local Council Area
 
0:17:26
1:25:09
2:55:04
1:16:48
Table 3 shows the maximum ambulance response times for each category of call in each month of 2025, broken down by district electoral area in the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area, District Council Area and Local council area.
Table 3
DEA
Month
(2025)
Maximum of Response Times
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
CROTLIEVE
Jan
0:27:56
7:04:41
4:23:20
 
Feb
1:26:25
4:45:27
20:38:05
 
Mar
0:24:30
5:09:18
13:35:14
 
Apr
0:25:48
3:56:00
7:19:48
 
May
0:31:41
10:29:58
15:32:41
 
Jun
0:20:24
5:31:51
23:48:11
 
Jul
0:32:12
4:55:29
17:11:48
 
Aug
0:41:01
5:39:19
11:37:00
 
Sep
0:27:49
3:14:01
9:42:45
 
Oct
0:29:34
5:37:07
7:15:54
 
Nov
0:36:59
5:40:37
11:27:31
 
Dec
0:31:26
10:06:14
21:53:35
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DOWNPATRICK
Jan
0:34:51
7:32:54
13:40:43
 
Feb
0:37:38
8:00:41
8:32:56
 
Mar
0:49:43
3:28:58
12:20:00
 
Apr
0:30:47
4:45:45
9:49:29
 
May
0:47:09
12:01:03
20:16:06
 
Jun
1:01:18
6:03:34
11:29:00
 
Jul
0:40:01
6:04:01
29:57:27
 
Aug
0:46:44
8:51:19
16:44:08
 
Sep
0:46:41
10:37:07
11:28:11
 
Oct
0:44:30
8:04:25
19:52:27
0:49:03
Nov
0:42:31
13:03:50
14:16:30
 
Dec
0:54:35
11:24:40
27:11:15
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NEWRY
Jan
0:38:13
5:27:48
15:01:43
 
Feb
0:30:50
6:38:50
12:03:23
 
Mar
0:30:39
3:59:17
13:09:25
1:43:07
Apr
0:46:32
3:32:05
15:01:45
 
May
0:41:10
5:35:33
9:42:38
 
Jun
0:41:20
5:13:01
12:00:17
 
Jul
0:24:32
4:50:03
11:37:31
 
Aug
0:47:21
5:08:18
5:57:39
 
Sep
0:25:36
4:57:04
23:44:36
 
Oct
0:29:40
4:38:13
20:30:43
 
Nov
0:52:06
9:26:50
32:34:58
 
Dec
1:17:22
12:26:07
24:08:27
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ROWALLANE
Jan
0:25:32
3:28:18
45:39:49
 
Feb
0:22:32
3:49:21
8:15:40
 
Mar
0:39:25
2:38:21
7:13:39
 
Apr
0:26:14
3:50:30
12:55:18
 
May
0:25:37
4:51:40
15:41:46
 
Jun
0:38:11
9:03:56
12:37:33
 
Jul
0:40:37
8:42:35
16:31:33
 
Aug
0:38:56
5:50:20
20:19:07
 
Sep
0:32:13
8:52:17
14:00:41
 
Oct
1:21:55
8:33:50
27:33:13
 
Nov
0:21:02
9:07:31
28:58:19
 
Dec
1:39:17
12:40:21
29:46:29
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE CROOB
Jan
0:38:59
7:13:27
14:39:08
 
Feb
0:31:33
3:27:32
8:28:08
 
Mar
0:29:23
2:28:12
9:55:23
0:42:56
Apr
0:29:40
4:07:01
3:43:17
0:47:34
May
0:30:33
6:18:34
15:03:59
 
Jun
0:38:47
9:52:24
12:34:02
 
Jul
0:41:11
4:39:25
8:58:40
 
Aug
4:38:10
6:09:25
20:01:43
 
Sep
0:34:16
17:23:49
10:35:57
 
Oct
0:51:25
8:04:13
5:35:41
 
Nov
0:38:01
4:11:07
12:38:32
 
Dec
0:39:17
12:31:24
16:57:23
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE GULLION
Jan
0:21:34
7:02:29
20:24:27
 
Feb
0:32:25
5:09:46
10:58:07
 
Mar
0:34:17
14:54:13
4:35:35
 
Apr
0:35:21
3:20:01
2:19:36
 
May
0:32:53
4:25:07
15:57:00
 
Jun
0:33:31
4:23:57
7:53:53
 
Jul
0:28:57
6:16:31
8:07:21
 
Aug
0:38:43
11:32:50
15:58:11
 
Sep
0:36:39
5:25:27
8:03:24
 
Oct
0:43:26
4:25:22
13:15:14
1:51:57
Nov
0:50:28
4:16:18
13:49:26
 
Dec
0:36:08
9:33:07
13:36:21
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MOURNES
Jan
1:00:40
6:59:09
20:39:33
 
Feb
1:09:18
3:52:38
9:59:26
 
Mar
0:46:53
7:58:53
11:57:19
 
Apr
0:36:57
4:07:49
8:57:27
 
May
0:53:15
6:29:00
16:05:04
 
Jun
0:30:23
6:06:14
20:32:43
 
Jul
0:51:13
10:23:09
15:39:41
 
Aug
0:53:50
6:16:43
11:00:00
 
Sep
2:34:24
8:03:28
16:46:03
 
Oct
0:41:01
6:41:10
17:21:13
 
Nov
0:43:30
12:40:53
16:10:15
 
Dec
3:51:32
8:48:16
40:01:19
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Overall Local Council Area
 
4:38:10
17:23:49
45:39:49
1:51:57
Table 4 shows the minimum ambulance response times, for each category of call, in each month of 2025, broken down by district electoral area in the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area, District Council Area and Local council area.
Table 4
DEA
Month
(2025)
Minimum of Response Times
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
CROTLIEVE
Jan
0:02:27
0:00:07
0:08:09
 
Feb
0:05:43
0:01:31
0:05:09
 
Mar
0:01:47
0:11:17
0:09:17
 
Apr
0:04:18
0:06:39
0:12:29
 
May
0:07:43
0:04:23
0:08:59
 
Jun
0:10:26
0:03:07
0:07:29
 
Jul
0:07:23
0:04:49
0:05:43
 
Aug
0:05:24
0:00:00
0:15:39
 
Sep
0:02:27
0:01:34
0:07:55
 
Oct
0:06:43
0:04:12
0:08:38
 
Nov
0:06:42
0:05:58
0:12:20
 
Dec
0:00:20
0:13:53
0:23:46
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DOWNPATRICK
Jan
0:05:13
0:04:09
0:15:54
 
Feb
0:01:52
0:07:59
0:07:21
 
Mar
0:03:35
0:02:09
0:07:35
 
Apr
0:07:43
0:01:46
0:04:41
 
May
0:01:18
0:04:19
1:11:04
 
Jun
0:04:10
0:08:26
0:11:28
 
Jul
0:03:17
0:00:00
0:05:09
 
Aug
0:05:49
0:04:05
0:20:56
 
Sep
0:00:30
0:06:15
0:04:55
 
Oct
0:03:20
0:06:02
0:06:17
0:49:03
Nov
0:02:35
0:06:49
0:13:27
 
Dec
0:01:16
0:05:38
0:20:44
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NEWRY
Jan
0:01:09
0:02:28
0:02:11
 
Feb
0:00:25
0:00:57
0:02:48
 
Mar
0:01:24
0:00:45
0:00:19
1:43:07
Apr
0:01:51
0:03:06
0:04:05
 
May
0:01:20
0:00:23
0:04:08
 
Jun
0:03:38
0:02:28
0:01:50
 
Jul
0:02:52
0:02:43
0:07:30
 
Aug
0:02:04
0:02:44
0:04:37
 
Sep
0:02:04
0:00:35
0:05:47
 
Oct
0:01:05
0:00:23
0:02:27
 
Nov
0:01:10
0:00:24
0:06:42
 
Dec
0:00:50
0:01:32
0:04:10
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ROWALLANE
Jan
0:07:34
0:02:16
0:09:04
 
Feb
0:05:24
0:07:02
0:04:58
 
Mar
0:05:28
0:04:02
0:04:34
 
Apr
0:03:39
0:00:00
0:06:47
 
May
0:08:20
0:00:55
0:12:36
 
Jun
0:02:39
0:00:00
0:04:38
 
Jul
0:09:00
0:03:03
0:17:42
 
Aug
0:04:19
0:04:42
0:17:43
 
Sep
0:00:08
0:13:45
0:17:28
 
Oct
0:00:50
0:07:32
0:25:48
 
Nov
0:00:28
0:06:48
0:20:56
 
Dec
0:00:57
0:03:05
0:11:11
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE CROOB
Jan
0:08:02
0:09:43
0:16:47
 
Feb
0:02:43
0:07:41
0:24:26
 
Mar
0:12:05
0:01:58
0:10:32
0:42:56
Apr
0:00:59
0:12:50
0:09:57
0:47:34
May
0:01:25
0:08:51
0:11:45
 
Jun
0:07:44
0:09:48
0:04:22
 
Jul
0:14:02
0:09:10
0:19:51
 
Aug
0:03:09
0:12:16
0:01:51
 
Sep
0:09:32
0:11:27
0:14:14
 
Oct
0:03:20
0:12:21
0:07:26
 
Nov
0:14:34
0:03:50
0:30:50
 
Dec
0:07:20
0:00:06
0:51:38
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLIEVE GULLION
Jan
0:04:53
0:04:05
0:04:55
 
Feb
0:03:58
0:04:14
0:08:10
 
Mar
0:02:34
0:04:17
0:06:56
 
Apr
0:04:33
0:06:16
0:03:03
 
May
0:02:32
0:04:59
0:09:34
 
Jun
0:04:40
0:07:34
0:14:46
 
Jul
0:03:50
0:08:42
0:07:51
 
Aug
0:05:24
0:01:17
0:09:41
 
Sep
0:01:58
0:05:19
0:08:48
 
Oct
0:03:41
0:03:43
0:05:00
1:46:12
Nov
0:05:12
0:05:31
0:06:37
 
Dec
0:04:32
0:06:49
0:19:25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MOURNES
Jan
0:01:51
0:07:20
0:12:05
 
Feb
0:05:03
0:08:16
0:05:24
 
Mar
0:01:07
0:00:23
0:06:40
 
Apr
0:01:15
0:03:02
0:08:36
 
May
0:04:20
0:05:08
0:05:02
 
Jun
0:02:07
0:01:59
0:08:47
 
Jul
0:01:42
0:03:38
0:09:30
 
Aug
0:01:19
0:03:32
0:15:17
 
Sep
0:03:57
0:03:04
0:03:17
 
Oct
0:08:09
0:08:59
0:04:23
 
Nov
0:01:52
0:03:34
0:05:05
 
Dec
0:00:00
0:00:06
0:21:25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Overall Local Council Area
 
0:00:00
0:00:00
0:00:19
0:42:56
I recognise that ambulance response times remain a significant challenge for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS). These difficulties are driven by a range of factors, including delays in hospital handovers and the impact of ongoing industrial action.
The importance of timely and appropriate ambulance responses was recognised in the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Review of Emergency Medicine. I am particularly concerned about the impact of ambulance handover delays at emergency departments (EDs), which directly affect NIAS’ ability to respond to emergency calls in the community. Improving handover times is therefore a key priority for my Department.
Earlier this year, Departmental officials, alongside clinicians from Trusts and NIAS, visited a hospital in London to learn from their successful approach to releasing ambulances more quickly. Following this visit, I asked Trusts and NIAS to adopt a similar model.
At a regional workshop in August 2025, the Permanent Secretary, supported by the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, endorsed the implementation of regional ambulance handover guidance. This guidance sets out a clear ambition to eliminate handovers exceeding two hours by 1 December 2025, with the longer-term goal of achieving the 15-minute handover standard.
This is a system-wide challenge, and I am committed to leading the co-ordinated action required to deliver meaningful and sustained improvements.
In addition, my Department is working with NIAS to ensure sufficient ambulance and staffing capacity to meet Category 1 and Category 2 response time standards. This includes the development of a comprehensive 10-year workforce and financial plan to support long-term service resilience and patient care.
My Department is working closely with NIAS to address these issues through a number of targeted initiatives. NIAS is actively increasing its front-line workforce and has launched an ambitious recruitment programme. In parallel, the service continues to develop alternative care pathways, enabling more patients to be treated in the community and reducing reliance on EDs.
In 2025, NIAS introduced the first tier of the Advanced Paramedics Urgent Care model. This important development enhances the paramedic workforce, allowing a higher level of care to be delivered directly to patients and supporting treatment in community settings.
Specifically, in relation to rural parts of the Newry and Armagh constituency, I am mindful of the particular challenges faced by rural communities, where geography and resource pressures can result in longer waits for emergency care. My Department and NIAS are taking a range of actions to address these challenges, including investment in workforce and resources and reducing hospital handover delays. We remain committed to ensuring that all communities, including those in rural Newry and Armagh, receive timely and effective emergency care. Improving ambulance response times in these areas remains a key priority for my Department.