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UK study: Longer ambulance journeys raise patient risk

Reuters UK
Copyright 2007 Reuters

LONDON — Seriously ill patients being driven by ambulance to hospital are more likely to die the further they travel, according to research on Tuesday.

The finding comes at a time when the government is looking to cut the number of local accident and emergency departments.

The risk of death rose 1 percent for every six miles travelled by patients suffering from breathing problems, or who were unconscious, the University of Sheffield researchers found.

Full Story: Researchers say more work needed on specialist regional centres