More than nine out of 10 (93 per cent) of patients strongly agreed they were treated with dignity and respect by South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) clinicians ambulance crews with 92 per cent strongly agreeing that the care arranged or carried out was appropriate.

The feedback comes from the SECAmb’s latest Patient Experience questionnaire, which collected the views of 252 members of the public between July-September 2025.

The survey, which was first launched in October 2023 and is available to complete all year round, gathers feedback from patients as well as family members or carers who have witnessed the care and treatment given to patients. The survey can be accessed via QR codes inside ambulances or via the Trust’s website.

The latest results show high levels of satisfaction with the care provided, with respondents often highlighting the exceptional care, empathy and skill they witnessed or received.

The results also revealed close to nine out of 10 (88 per cent) were satisfied or very satisfied with how quickly their 999 call was answered and 87 per cent were satisfied or very satisfied with their initial contact with the 999 call taker they spoke to.

Around one third of those who responded reported that they had also spoken to a clinician, with one in seven very satisfied with the time it took to receive a call back. Around 85 per cent were satisfied or very satisfied with the clinical advice they were given over the phone.

While the survey overwhelmingly highlighted strong levels of satisfaction, SECAmb is committed to using the results to take forward improvements.

Head of Patient Engagement, Vikki Baldock, said: “We’re pleased that a majority of patients we heard from were often very satisfied with the service they received when they called 999. This is testament to the caring and committed approach delivered by our teams as they respond to those in need in our community. We recognise that there are areas where we need to make improvements and we want to hear from anyone who has called 999 recently so that their views can be used to improve our overall service.”

Recent callers to 999 are encouraged to complete the questionnaire, which can be accessed here: Patient Experience Questionnaire – NHS South East Coast Ambulance Service