Ambulance costs for obesity transport

Ambulance trusts face a combined 27.5 million pound bill to move more obese patients, highlighting broader budget pressures.

Ambulance budgets strained by obesity transport costs

Freedom of Information responses show that North West Ambulance Service has spent almost £15 million in five years transporting overweight patients. London Ambulance Service has paid contractors about £1.6 million a year for five years and plans to spend £1 million to build its own fleet. South Central Ambulance Service and East of England Ambulance Trust have also recorded multi-year costs tied to equipment and vehicles needed for heavier patients.

The total across the four trusts reaches £27.5 million. Government data indicate nearly two-thirds of UK adults are overweight or obese, a trend linked to higher chronic disease risk and longer hospital stays. The figures illustrate how obesity drives up the costs of urgent care and the equipment that teams must carry to respond safely to heavier patients.

These numbers reveal a budget storm within the health system. When a single patient group drives transport costs, it forces hard choices about medical gear, staffing, and services elsewhere.

The shift toward more in-house fleets could lower payments to private operators, but it raises upfront costs and ongoing maintenance. Policymakers should consider whether stronger investment in prevention and weight management could lower long-term spend and improve outcomes for patients and crews alike.

Highlights

Costs like these prompt tougher questions about funding, prevention, and the future shape of emergency care.