UNISON has urged ministers to invest in staffing, ambulance services and hospital capacity after publishing findings about the effects of lengthy handover delays on patients and crews.
In the survey, 59 per cent of respondents said patients' conditions had worsened while in their care during handover delays. Three per cent reported that patients had died because they could not be handed over quickly enough.
The findings, published on 8 October, are based on a poll of 654 road ambulance staff conducted between January and February 2026. They reflect respondents' experiences rather than an independently verified count of patient deaths.
UNISON national ambulance officer Sharan Bandesha said using ambulances and corridors as makeshift treatment spaces was unsafe and called for planning that recognised pressures throughout the year.
The union also reported effects on staff wellbeing and retention, with more than a third of respondents considering leaving their jobs because of the situation.
