Resolve paramedic-driver shortage in mass casualties
Manchester Arena Inquiry · Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · Issued 3 November 2022 · Addressed to: National Ambulance Resilience Unit, Department of Health and Social Care
Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Nov 2025)
DeliveryCabinet Office says in progress (Feb 2026)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
A significant issue in a mass casualty situation is that all of those paramedics who have arrived in ambulances may be required for the treatment of casualties, so that no paramedic is available to drive patients to hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care and the National Ambulance Resilience Unit should consider how to resolve that problem. Consideration should be given to the training of other emergency service personnel in driving ambulances.
Manchester Arena Inquiry, Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · 3 Nov 2022 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
In a February 2026 update, the Cabinet Office reported that work remained in progress with a revised timeline to 2027, explaining that the CRMI group had agreed to the delay in view of resource constraints and would focus initially on casualty management and clinical support to command sub-groups (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). The UK Government had accepted the recommendation in full in November 2025 (Cabinet Office response, Nov 2025).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.
Government response
●UK Government · Accepted · 14 Nov 2025
Accepted in full
Response document: Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations (GOV.UK page linking to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard)
Delivery
●Cabinet Office says in progress · 27 Feb 2026
CRMI group met to agree revision to timelines in view of resource constraints. The focus initially will be on 'Casualty Management' and 'Clinical Support to Command' sub-groups of the programme. Revised timeline to 2027.
Earlier statements on delivery (0)
●Cabinet Office · 14 Nov 2025
CRMI group met to agree revision to timelines in view of resource constraints. The focus initially will be on 'Casualty Management' and 'Clinical Support to Command' sub-groups of the programme. Revised timeline to 2027.
From: Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, original version (data file)
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