Denmark healthcare: Ambulance response delays and new CPR methods

Ambulance services in Region Syddanmark struggled to meet response time targets for the most acute (A-type) calls during the first quarter of 2026. While South West Jutland met the service goal of having the first healthcare professional arrive within 15 minutes for 95.2% of cases, other areas including Funen, Southern Jutland, and the Triangle Region fell below the target. The region attributed these delays to heavy winter weather, noting that the 2025/2026 winter saw significantly more snow cover than normal.

In a separate development, Region Midtjylland is implementing a pioneering method to improve survival rates during cardiac arrest. Emergency doctor vehicles will now be able to measure blood pressure during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This allows medical professionals to monitor the effectiveness of chest compressions and adjust treatment for individual patients. The project, developed by emergency physician Jesper Fjølner, is among the first of its kind globally and has already been credited with assisting in several successful resuscitations.