England's new ambulance numbers not 800 promised, figures show
The number of new ambulances in England will be far less than the hundreds promised by the government, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
In January, 800 new ambulances were announced, with a 10% fleet increase. But vehicles being ordered by trusts are mostly replacements they were prevented from purchasing because of procurement changes and the pandemic.
In response to a written question in February, DHSC said the "over 800 new ambulances" advertised equated to about 350 extra vehicles, plus 100 mental health ambulances. However, the FOI responses from England's ambulance trusts suggest the number of extra vehicles will be far fewer.
Source: BBC News, 4 April 2023