120 patients a day die before the 999 crews get to them

43,758 cases in 2022 with 4,324 in December, a rise of 19%

- JOHN STEVENS

MORE than 43,000 people were declared dead by the time an ambulance got to them last year, shocking figures reveal.

As delays hit services, the number of patients who died before paramedics reached them hit an average of 120 a day.

In December alone, 4,324 people were declared dead on arrival by ambulance services.

That is a rise of 19% on the same month in the previous year.

In total, 43,758 people were pronounced dead when an ambulance reached them last year.