Ambulance bosses hit with eye-watering £27.5m bills to transport increasing numbers of obese patients
Their budgets are being stretched further by the extra costs of specialist vehicles and equipment required.
North West Ambulance Service alone has paid almost £15million in the past five years for ambulances to carry the overweight, Freedom of Information responses show.
It hopes to cut its annual payment of £2.715million to private operators by buying eight new vehicles this year for £416,976.
London Ambulance Service is investing £1million for its own fleet, having paid contractors £1.6million a year for five years.
South Central Ambulance Service — which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and most of Hampshire — said it had spent £2.3million over the past 5½ years.
East of England Ambulance Trust has got through more than £1.25million in two years.
Recent Government research shows nearly two-thirds of UK adults are overweight or obese.
Levels of obesity impact health care as it is associated with reduced life expectancy and increases the risk of chronic diseases.
I'm a paramedic - why we have THREE different ambulance sirens
1
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
14 minutes ago
- Reuters
Affidea Partners With Skin Analytics to Improve Access to Skin Cancer Assessment Across Europe Using AI Technology
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, August 18, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Affidea, opens new tab, a leading pan-European provider of community-based polyclinics, advanced diagnostics, and multi-specialist care, including oncology, has entered a strategic partnership with Skin Analytics, opens new tab, a pioneering AI company in dermatology care. This collaboration supports Affidea's long-term vision of leveraging digital innovations to improve patient outcomes as part of its integrated skin cancer care pathway. As part of this partnership, Affidea has implemented Skin Analytics' DERM, an AI medical device software for the automated analysis of skin lesions. The initial implementation of DERM began in Romania and Lithuania, with Greece to follow in September. These countries were selected based on market analysis, clinical readiness and innovation focus. The aim is to improve patient access to high quality care by introducing clinically validated AI technology into the gold standard skin care pathway already in place. This enables patients' triage while streamlining workflows. Following this first phase, Affidea plans to roll out the AI solution across additional European markets. Dr. Charles Niehaus, executive director for Affidea Group, stated: "Integrating cutting-edge digital innovations into clinical practice is essential to delivering the best possible care for our patients. Our partnership with Skin Analytics marks an exciting milestone, enabling us to leverage AI in supporting early detection of skin cancer and to provide even more patients with access to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs we already offer in our dermatology units. This collaboration is not just about introducing new technology — it's about creating scalable, sustainable solutions that empower patients and clinical teams, address rising demand and bring timely, high-quality care across Europe." Neil Daly, founder and CEO of Skin Analytics, stated: 'We're incredibly proud to be partnering with Affidea as our first European partner. This collaboration represents a major milestone in our mission to transform access to dermatology care using AI. By combining Affidea's clinical excellence and pan-European reach with our proven technology, DERM, we have an opportunity to reimagine how skin cancer is identified and managed across the continent. At scale, this partnership will drive earlier diagnoses, improve access to care and support dermatology teams facing rising demand — ultimately marking history for how skin cancer care is delivered and improving outcomes for patients across Europe.' Skin cancer remains a significant public health challenge across Europe. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, Europe accounts for approximately 10.4 melanoma cases per 100,000 people. Non-melanoma skin cancers were even more prevalent, with over 1.15 million cases in Europe in 2022 [1]. This burden continues to grow — age-standardised incidence rates for melanoma have risen sharply over the past decades, and non-melanoma cases now represent nearly 78% of all skin cancer diagnoses. Source [1] Global Cancer Observatory, International Agency for Research on Cancer: opens new tab About Affidea Group Affidea is a leading pan-European provider of specialist healthcare services, including cancer care, community-based polyclinics and advanced diagnostic imaging. Founded in 1991, the company operates over 410 centres across 15 countries, with more than 14 million patient visits every year. Affidea is majority-owned by Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), a leading investment holding company, focused on long-term value-creation with a stable and supportive family shareholder base. For more information, visit opens new tab. For media inquiries regarding Affidea Group, contact opens new tab. About Skin Analytics Skin Analytics was founded in 2012 by Neil Daly to help more people survive cancer. It began providing teledermatology services in 2015 and since 2020 is now deployed in 27 NHS sites across the UK, having seen more than 180,000 NHS patients and detected more than 15,500 cancers. Post-market surveillance has shown that DERM found 97% of cancers (and accurately identified over 75% of benign lesions) with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.6% for all skin cancers. Settings in which DERM has been deployed have been able to reduce the number of face-to-face dermatologist appointments required for the volume of suspected skin cancer referrals by 60 to 95%, and DERM can autonomously discharge up to 40% urgent suspected skin cancer referrals. DERM is the only Class III CE marked AI Dermatology medical device, enabling Skin Analytics to begin actively expanding its lifesaving services to Europe. For more information, visit opens new tab. For media inquiries regarding Skin Analytics, contact skin@ opens new tab. About DERM DERM is an AI medical device (AIaMD), operating under a Class III CE mark. DERM is intended for use in the screening, triage and assessment of skin lesions suspicious for skin cancer. DERM will analyse a dermoscopic image of a skin lesion and return a suspected diagnosis and, if applicable, a referral recommendation for the lesion. DERM is indicated for use on dermoscopic images of cutaneous lesions where there is a suspicion of skin cancer in patients aged 18 years or over in any body location except where specific exclusions apply. Deployed across NHS sites in the UK, Skin Analytics pathways have seen more than 180,000 patient cases and supported the identification of over 15,500 cancers. With a negative predictive value rate of 99.9% for ruling out melanomas, the platform has become a proven tool for aiding clinical decision-making while enhancing patient access and efficiency within skin cancer pathways. Media Contact Oana ### SOURCE: Affidea Group Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
Fair Isle: UK's most remote inhabited island seeks new nurse
The UK's most remote inhabited island is looking for a new Isle is located halfway between the Northern Isles of Orkney and island's current nurse is leaving later this Shetland is now advertising for the permanent job to replace her, describing it as "a unique opportunity to become an integral part of island life". Fair Isle - which is home to about 50 people - is famed for its knitwear as well as its wildlife and bird is just three miles long (4.8km) and one-and-a-half miles successful candidate will be responsible for the entire population, as well as any visiting tourists. One of those current Fair Isle residents, Eileen Thomson, believes it could be a great move for someone."I think it could be the most amazing opportunity for the right kind of person coming to Fair Isle," she told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland said the outgoing nurse leaves later this week, and there would be cover in the interim period. "It's always a bit of a concern not having somebody here as we're the remotest inhabited island in the country," she said. She said the new nurse would be looking after people with age ranges from less than a year old up to almost 90."You might be dealing with any kind of illness," Eileen Thomson said. "There will be quieter times and there will be really busy times, it's having someone who loves to have a bit of variety in their job. "You would be the only person on the island as a medical professional,. We're supported by a doctor's surgery on the mainland of Shetland."The Coastguard rescue helicopter based in Sumburgh doubles up as the island's ambulance, but the nurse is the one people go to for everything else."We're lucky we've had some amazing nurses over the last few years, we always love to welcome new people into the community." Looking for a challenge "The most beautiful little island," is how she describes Fair Isle, which she said was well-known for nature and being one of the best places to spot wildlife."Of course we're famous for our knitwear as well, so anyone with that kind of interest would find an amazing home here."But what we like to be known for is that we're a really strong little community. We might be only 50 folk, but we are an incredibly strong, hard-working community. We're a very sociable bunch as well."She said island life did not suit everyone and had challenges as well."We're in the far north, the weather isn't that great in the winter, transport isn't that easy, and you do have to be a really confident clinician. You are the person looking after everything, you are the man on the ground so to speak. "For someone who's experienced, for someone who is looking for a challenge - but a wonderful challenge - I think it could really be the perfect role."Applications will close at the end of this month.
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
Akram Mohammed death was not caused by mouldy flat, coroner finds
A baby who lived in a mouldy housing association flat in north London died of unrelated causes, a coroner has Mohammed died in February aged 15 weeks, which his parents believed was due to damp conditions in their Camden this year, the boy's death sparked angry protests aimed at housing association Notting Hill Genesis, over the state of the family's flat and failure to rectify coroner Mary Hassell acknowledged their home was damp and mouldy, but concluded that Akram actually died of Strep B, pneumonia and Vitamin D deficiency. In evidence given to the hearing at St Pancras Coroner's Court last week, a pathologist said that the fungal growths in Akram's lungs did not match the mould found in the family's court heard the baby's mother Aiat Mohammed had herself contracted Group B Streptococcus, known as Strep B, before Akram was born and as it had not been treated, the infection was passed to him. The bacteria affects about 500 newborns every the court on Monday, Akram's father Abdushafi told the BBC he accepted the coroner's findings.
