Lives could be at risk as Lincolnshire ambulances are failing to reach patients quick enough and the police are having to take over their duties.
The East Midlands Ambulance Service is the only service in England not to meet the national requirements for arrival at life-threatening situations.
Figures reveal that 84 per cent of incidents in Lincolnshire are attended within 19 minutes – 11 per cent short of the 95 per cent national target. This means that East Midlands achieves 93 per cent while the overall percentage for England is at 97 per cent.
Paramedics have also been reported to be arriving at incidents alone, rather than in the required pairs and police have had to take people in need to hospital when ambulances have not arrived.
Councillor and Lincolnshire Police Authority Member Chris Underwood-Frost said
“It’s a good thing that the Police are helping these people but they aren’t properly equipped. Should somebody die in the back of the police car there would be a public outcry.”