Heart attack, stroke and burns victims are among the seriously ill and injured patients waiting over an hour for an ambulance to arrive in England and Wales, a BBC investigation shows.
The delays for these 999 calls - meant to be reached in 18 minutes on average - put lives at risk, experts say.
The problems affect one in 16 "emergency" cases in England - with significant delays reported in Wales.
NHS bosses blamed rising demand and delays handing over patients at A&E.
Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said patients were being "let down badly at their moment of greatest need" and getting a quick response could be "a matter of life or death".
She said the delays were "undoubtedly" related to the sustained underfunding of the NHS.
Source: BBC News, 29 January 2020
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