As the UK emerges from the Coronavirus pandemic, the British Emergency Services continue to struggle under the burden that the pandemic placed upon them. 

In December 2021, the average ambulance response time to life threatening calls was 9 minutes, compared to the 7-minute average set out in the 2017 ‘Handbook to the NHS Constitution for England’.

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought to light the need to pre-empt future shocks to avoid a repetition of such devastating social and economic costs upon the country, as well as illustrating the crucial role of first responders in tackling crises at the source.

Looking beyond the pandemic and into the immediate future the government has embarked on its plans to ‘Build Back Better’. This includes the implementation of the policies outlined in the Health and Care Bill as well as the Home Office’s upgrading of the Emergency Services Network to utilize the benefits of 4G technology.

This event will take a longer-term view to explore potential future crises including the impacts of climate change, a rapidly aging population, and a rise in civil unrest. The event will also examine the solutions offered by innovative technology such as drones, 5G and AI to help the emergency services in their mission to save lives.