What followed was a four hour wait for an ambulance that never seemed to come. The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has a target of meeting 75 per cent of PURPLE calls within 18 minutes 59 seconds. In November, 111 PURPLE callouts were received, with 66 per cent meeting the target. December saw 97 callouts, with 63 per cent meeting the target. In January, 105 PURPLE callouts were made, with 61 per cent meeting the target.

Source: The Herald March 09, 2026 12:47 UTC