Peterborough's ambulance service rated among best in the country for emergency care
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has been rated among the best in the country for its critical care for time‑critical conditions such as heart attacks and cardiac arrests.
EEAST's 2025/26 Annual Quality Account shows the Trust is one of the best‑performing ambulance services in England for time‑critical conditions such as heart attacks and cardiac arrest, even during a year of record demand.
During 2025/26, EEAST was the highest‑performing ambulance trust in England for heart attack care, delivering the nationally recognised treatment bundle to almost all eligible patients, significantly above the national average.
Survival outcomes following out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest were also among the best in the country, with EEAST achieving the highest performance nationally for several key measures, including return of spontaneous circulation and delivery of post‑resuscitation care.
The Trust handled nearly 1.5 million emergency contacts in 2025/26 – the equivalent of one 999 call every 29 seconds.
Despite this sustained pressure:
- 999 calls were answered in an average of two seconds
- Ambulance response times improved across all call categories compared with the previous year
- Performance for the most life‑threatening emergencies remained stable and resilient
In 2025/26, EEAST clinicians safely supported over 159,000 patients through telephone assessment and clinical advice, ensuring care was delivered quickly and appropriately while protecting ambulance availability for the sickest patients.
- 93% of patients rated their overall experience as good or very good
- The Trust received 3,722 compliments, with six compliments recorded for every complaint
- Formal complaints fell significantly compared with the previous year
Patients most frequently praised staff for their compassion, professionalism and reassurance during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
The Trust continued to strengthen patient safety:
- Serious patient safety events reduced by almost 50%
- More than 1,000 Learning from Deaths reviews were completed, exceeding national requirements
- Improved training and learning systems ensured lessons were shared across the organisation
Simon Chase, Chief Paramedic and Director of Quality of EEAST, said: "Our teams respond to extraordinary demand every day, and this quality account shows the real difference their skill, compassion and commitment makes for patients.
“We know there is more work to do, but we are proud to be delivering some of the best outcomes in the country for the patients who need us most."